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The world could be under strain, yet a sense of hope remains. A novel accolade from the science, music and arts festival the Starmus festival aims to inspire people to act.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will honor to pay tribute to the renowned scientist and conservationist who died recently. It will recognise individuals and groups that protect life on Earth.

Honoring a Legacy

The first recipients are slated for announcement at the Starmus VIII festival in the Canary Islands, which will run from 17–22 October next year.

Reports indicate that Jane Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had supported the medal's establishment. “The vision behind this medal, and the festival being tasked with organising it, originated with Jane,” a statement said. “She expressed that she wanted this to happen. And I think due to the very special relationship she had with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will acknowledge ongoing initiatives carried out to make our world improved for people, animals and the environment and provide encouragement to continue that work,” said a family member.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of Starmus indicated that the medal – which was announced at a scientific institution – would probably encompass various fields.

“It’s going to be inspired by the Stephen Hawking medal honoring scientific outreach established exactly 10 years ago,” he explained. Goodall was an honoree of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts about the future of the planet, one figure stated, “To be truthful, it is difficult to feel hopeful. The current political climate in one major nation represents a war on science. This situation significantly hampers collective action.”

“To be honest, the situation appears particularly bright therefore we must commence reconsidering, more deeply regarding the impact of our actions. And that’s not only climate change, but also the whole way in which we interact with the natural world.”

Following an Example

Therefore, it was noted it was an opportune moment to follow Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that in bestowing this medal, we will be considering this essential spirit that Jane embodied – that was her priority, to transform how we regard wildlife with which we share the planet.”

A major topic currently involves the spread of misinformation. The theme of the upcoming Starmus festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“We realised that truth has become contested where political interests are involved. This is a perilous development,” it was said. “The science of climate remains a scientific discipline; it is impossible to allow interference by political agendas in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration is that the medal will inspire concrete steps. “The purpose is inspiring individuals to engage and to show concern and to strive in that direction, really. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we have to focus on working our utmost,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of failure, yet we must have to work toward success.”

A family member engaged in conservation work shared optimism that “with guidance and once enabled, humans can be conscientious guardians of our planet”, citing the initiatives of an institute which, in addition to its projects, helps the youth get involved locally, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall constantly emphasized, our daily actions make a difference and the responsibility lies with us the kind of difference we choose to create,” he said. “We still have an opportunity and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will offer support and increase understanding about the positive actions currently in progress.”