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Earth could be under strain, however a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus seeks to motivate the public to make a difference.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will be given to pay tribute to the celebrated British primatologist who passed away recently. It seeks to acknowledge individuals and groups that protect the natural world.

The Medal's Framework

The first recipients are slated for announcement during the Starmus VIII festival in Tenerife and La Palma, which will run from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

Reports indicate that Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The concept of having this medal, and the festival being tasked to oversee it, originated with Jane,” a representative said. “She expressed that she wanted for this to occur. This is likely because of the very special connection she had with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will recognize enduring projects carried out to make our world improved for all living beings and ecosystems and foster motivation to continue such efforts,” said a family member.

Format and Inspiration

One of the founders of the festival noted that the medal – which was announced at a prestigious venue – would probably have multiple categories.

“It’s going to be inspired by the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication that we created a decade past,” it was explained. Jane Goodall was a recipient of that award.

Expressing concern about the future for Earth, a prominent voice said, “Honestly, it’s very hard to feel hopeful. Present governance globally represents a dismissal of evidence. This situation really cripples collective action.”

“To be honest, the prospects aren't very good so we have to really start reflecting, with greater urgency about the consequences of our actions. And that’s not only climate change, that’s the entire manner in which we interact with our environment.”

Inspiring Change

As a result, it was noted it was an opportune moment to follow Jane Goodall's legacy. “It is believed that when we’re awarding this medal, we will be considering this essential spirit that Jane embodied – that was her foremost concern, to transform the way we treat fellow creatures around us.”

A pressing concern at present was highlighted of disinformation. The theme of next year’s festival is set as “the search for truth”.

“We realised that truth has become contested when politics is involved. And it’s a very dangerous thing,” he commented. “The science of climate is a science; you cannot have any influence by political agendas in this field.”

Optimism and Resolve

The hope remains that this honor can motivate positive change. “The purpose is motivating others to engage and to show concern and to work toward these goals, really. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we have to focus on working all that is possible,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for failure, but you still continue striving toward success.”

A family member engaged in conservation work expressed optimism that “given direction and once enabled, people can be responsible caretakers of our planet”, citing the work of a foundation that, in addition to its projects, empowers the next generation become engaged locally, animals, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother often emphasized, our daily actions make a difference and the responsibility lies with us what type of impact we make,” he said. “We still have an opportunity and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will give encouragement and raise awareness regarding constructive efforts currently in progress.”