🔗 Share this article The Starmus Earth Medal in Honor of Jane Goodall to Recognise Those Striving to Better the Planet. Earth is under strain, yet a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor from the science, music and arts festival Starmus will encourage individuals to make a difference. An event related to the Starmus festival. The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will honor in memory of the esteemed scientist and conservationist who passed away this year. It will recognise individuals and groups that advocate for the natural world. Award Details The first recipients are expected to be announced at the Starmus VIII festival in the Canary Islands, which will run from 17–22 October the coming year. According to statements that Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had supported the medal's establishment. “The idea behind this medal, and Starmus being entrusted with organising it, originated with Jane,” a statement said. “She said that she wanted this to happen. This is likely due to the very special relationship she shared with the festival.” “This medal will acknowledge ongoing initiatives carried out to build an environment a better place for people, animals and the environment and foster motivation to carry on such efforts,” commented a relative. Structure and Vision A co-founder of Starmus stated that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – would probably encompass various fields. “The intent is for it to be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking award for science communication established exactly 10 years ago,” it was explained. Goodall was an honoree of that award. Sharing thoughts about the future for Earth, one figure remarked, “Honestly, it's challenging to maintain optimism. The current political climate globally represents a dismissal of evidence. So this undermines the world’s efforts.” “To be honest, things don’t look particularly bright which means we need to really start reflecting, much more seriously regarding the impact of human activity. And that’s not only global warming, but also the whole way that we treat our environment.” Inspiring Change Therefore, observers believe this is a good time to honor Jane Goodall's legacy. “It is believed that in bestowing the prize, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her foremost concern, to transform the way we treat wildlife with which we share the planet.” Another key issue at present involves the spread of disinformation. The central topic of the upcoming Starmus 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 science of climate is a science; it is impossible to allow interference by political agendas in climate science.” Hope and Determination The hope remains that this honor will inspire action. “The purpose is inspiring individuals to get involved and to care and to strive in that direction, really. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we must focus on doing all that is possible,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for setbacks, yet we must continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.” A descendant involved in conservation work expressed confidence that “given direction and when empowered, humanity are capable of being responsible caretakers of our planet”, pointing to the programs of a foundation that, among its other activities, helps the next generation get involved with their community, animals, and the natural world. “As Jane Goodall constantly emphasized, our daily actions make a difference and it is up to us the kind of difference we make,” it was stated. “There is still time and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will give encouragement and increase understanding regarding beneficial initiatives currently in progress.”