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Earth could be under pressure, but a sense of hope remains. A novel accolade originating at the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival seeks to motivate the public to make a difference.

The medal will be given to pay tribute to the esteemed scientist and conservationist who died this year. It seeks to acknowledge individuals and groups that protect the natural world.

Honoring a Legacy

The inaugural winners are slated for announcement during the Starmus VIII festival in Tenerife and La Palma, which will run from 17–22 October next year.

It was shared that Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had supported the award’s creation. “The concept behind this award, and the festival being tasked to oversee it, is Jane’s,” a statement said. “She expressed that she wanted this to happen. And I think due to the very special connection she shared with the festival.”

“This medal will recognize enduring projects carried out to make our world a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and offer support for the continuation that work,” said a family member.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of the festival noted that the medal – unveiled at a prestigious venue – would probably have multiple categories.

“It will be modeled after the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication that we created exactly 10 years ago,” he explained. Jane Goodall was a recipient of that award.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook of the planet, a prominent voice remarked, “To be truthful, it's challenging to feel hopeful. Certain policies globally represents an assault on knowledge. So this significantly hampers the world’s efforts.”

“Realistically, the prospects aren't particularly bright which means we need to begin to reconsidering, much more seriously regarding the impact of human activity. And that’s not just climate change, that’s the entire manner that we treat our environment.”

Inspiring Change

Consequently, observers believe 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 core philosophy that Jane embodied – that was her foremost concern, to change our relationship with the other animals around us.”

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

“There is a recognition that factual reality is becoming a subject of discussion where political interests are involved. This is a perilous development,” he commented. “The science of climate is a science; you cannot allow interference from politics in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The hope is that this honor can motivate positive change. “It’s about inspiring individuals to get involved and to show concern and to work toward these goals, truly. Regardless of if we’re optimistic, we must focus on working our utmost,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, but you still continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.”

A family member engaged in environmental protection shared hope that “given direction and once enabled, humanity are capable of being diligent stewards of our planet”, highlighting the work of a foundation that, in addition to its projects, helps the youth get involved with their community, animals, and environment.

“As Jane Goodall repeatedly told everyone, our daily actions are significant and it is up to us what type of impact we make,” he said. “We still have an opportunity and this medal will offer support and increase understanding about constructive efforts currently in progress.”