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Earth might be under strain, but a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor originating at the science, music and arts festival Starmus seeks to motivate people to make a difference.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will honor to pay tribute to the celebrated British primatologist who died this year. It is designed to celebrate those who champion our planet's biodiversity.

The Medal's Framework

The inaugural winners will be revealed during the Starmus VIII festival in the Canary Islands, which will run from 17–22 October next year.

It was shared that Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had backed the medal's establishment. “The idea behind this award, and Starmus being entrusted with organising it, originated with Jane,” a representative said. “Her desire was that she wanted for this to occur. And I think due to the very special relationship she had with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal aims to highlight ongoing initiatives undertaken to create a planet improved for all living beings and ecosystems and provide encouragement to continue that work,” commented a relative.

Structure and Vision

A co-founder of Starmus noted that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – will likely include several divisions.

“The intent is for it to be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking medal honoring scientific outreach established a decade past,” he explained. Jane Goodall was a recipient of that award.

Expressing concern about the future of the planet, one figure said, “Honestly, it’s very hard to be optimistic. Present governance globally is conducting a dismissal of evidence. So this significantly hampers the world’s efforts.”

“In truth, the situation appears particularly bright so we have to really start thinking again, more deeply regarding the impact of human activity. And that’s not just climate change, but also the entire manner that we treat our environment.”

A Call to Action

Consequently, observers believe this is a good time to honor Goodall’s example. “It is believed that when we’re awarding this medal, we will be considering this essential spirit of Jane’s – that was her foremost concern, to change the way we treat wildlife around us.”

Another key issue today involves the spread of misinformation. The focus of the upcoming festival will be “the search for truth”.

“There is a recognition that truth is becoming a matter of debate when politics are involved. This is a perilous development,” he commented. “The climate science is a science; you cannot have any influence by political agendas in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The goal is that the medal will spur action. “The purpose is motivating others to participate and to care and to work in that direction, really. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we must focus on doing our utmost,” a statement concluded. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, yet we must continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.”

A family member involved in environmental protection shared optimism that “given direction and when empowered, humans can be responsible caretakers of Earth”, citing the programs of a foundation which, in addition to its projects, assists young people get involved with their community, animals, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother repeatedly told everyone, the choices we make each day are significant and it is up to us the kind of difference we choose to create,” it was stated. “We still have an opportunity and this medal will give encouragement and raise awareness about beneficial initiatives currently in progress.”