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The world might be under strain, yet a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor from the science, music and arts festival the Starmus festival seeks to encourage individuals to make a difference.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will be given in honour of the renowned British primatologist who passed away recently. It is designed to celebrate individuals and groups that protect the natural world.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees will be revealed during the upcoming Starmus event 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 backed the medal's establishment. “The idea of having this medal, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a statement said. “She expressed she would like this to happen. This is likely due to the close bond she had with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will recognize sustainable programmes carried out to create a planet a better place for people, animals and the environment and offer support to carry on that work,” said a family member.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of the festival indicated that the medal – unveiled at a prestigious venue – will likely include several divisions.

“It will be inspired by the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach that we created exactly 10 years ago,” it was explained. Goodall was a recipient of that award.

Sharing thoughts about the future for Earth, a prominent voice remarked, “Honestly, it's challenging to feel hopeful. Present governance globally is conducting a war on science. So this significantly hampers collective action.”

“In truth, the prospects aren't very good so we have to begin to reflecting, more deeply regarding the impact of our actions. And that’s not just global warming, but also the whole way in which we interact with our environment.”

Following an Example

Consequently, observers believe this is a good time to emulate Goodall’s example. “It is believed that in bestowing this medal, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her priority, to transform the way we treat wildlife around us.”

Another key issue currently is the proliferation of false information. The focus of next year’s festival will be “the search for truth”.

“There is a recognition that truth is becoming a matter of debate where political interests are involved. This is an alarming trend,” it was said. “The science of climate remains a scientific discipline; you cannot have any influence by political agendas in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration is that the medal can motivate positive change. “The purpose is motivating others to get involved and to care and to work toward these goals, truly. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we must look at doing all that is possible,” a statement concluded. “Accept the possibility of failure, but you still have to work to achieve positive outcomes.”

A family member engaged in conservation work expressed confidence that “with guidance and when empowered, humans are capable of being responsible caretakers of our planet”, pointing to the initiatives of a foundation which, in addition to its projects, empowers the youth become engaged locally, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother constantly reminded us, our daily actions are significant and it is up to us the kind of difference we make,” he said. “There is still time and this medal will give encouragement and increase understanding regarding beneficial initiatives that people are making.”