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Earth is under strain, but optimism persists. A novel accolade from the science, music and arts festival the Starmus festival aims to inspire the public to take action.

The medal will be given in memory of the celebrated scientist and conservationist who passed away this year. It is designed to celebrate individuals and groups that advocate for life on Earth.

Honoring a Legacy

The first recipients are slated for announcement during the Starmus VIII festival in the Canary Islands, scheduled from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

It was shared that Jane Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had supported the medal's establishment. “The concept behind this medal, and the festival being tasked with organising it, was Jane's wish,” a statement said. “She expressed she would like for this to occur. This is likely because of the close bond she had with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will recognize ongoing initiatives carried out to create a planet a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and provide encouragement to continue that work,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

One of the founders of the festival stated that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – would probably have multiple categories.

“It’s going to be modeled after the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication that we created a decade past,” he explained. Jane Goodall was an honoree of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts about the future for Earth, a prominent voice remarked, “To be truthful, it is difficult to be optimistic. Present governance in one major nation is conducting a dismissal of evidence. This situation undermines collective action.”

“To be honest, things don’t look very good therefore we must really start thinking again, more deeply about the consequences of our actions. And that’s not just climate change, that’s the entire manner that we treat nature.”

Inspiring Change

Therefore, observers believe this is a good time to emulate Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that when we’re awarding the prize, the focus will be on this core philosophy that Jane embodied – that was her priority, to transform the way we treat fellow creatures around us.”

Another key issue today is the proliferation of disinformation. The focus of next year’s festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“It has become apparent that truth has become a matter of debate where political interests is involved. This is a perilous development,” it was said. “Climate research is a science; you cannot allow interference by political agendas in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The hope remains that this honor can motivate action. “It’s about encouraging people to engage and to show concern and to strive in that direction, truly. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we must look at working our utmost,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, but you still have to work towards succeeding.”

A descendant engaged in conservation work shared hope that “given direction and once enabled, people can be responsible caretakers of our planet”, pointing to the programs of an institute which, among its other activities, assists young people become engaged with their community, animals, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother often reminded us, our daily actions are significant and it is up to us the kind of difference we make,” he said. “It is not too late and this medal will provide inspiration and raise awareness regarding beneficial initiatives that people are making.”