The Jane Goodall Earth Medal Will Recognise Individuals Acting to Improve the World.

Earth might be facing challenges, but optimism persists. A fresh honor originating at the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival seeks to inspire the public to act.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will honor in memory of the celebrated scientist and conservationist who died recently. It seeks to acknowledge individuals and groups that protect the natural world.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees are slated for announcement during the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, which will run from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

It was shared that Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had endorsed the medal's establishment. “The concept behind this award, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a representative said. “Her desire was she would like for this to occur. This is likely due to the unique connection she shared with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will acknowledge enduring projects undertaken to build an environment improved 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 Starmus indicated that the medal – which was announced at a scientific institution – would probably have multiple categories.

“It will be inspired by the Stephen Hawking award for science communication that we created exactly 10 years ago,” it was explained. Jane Goodall was an honoree of that very medal.

Expressing concern about the future of the planet, a prominent voice said, “To be truthful, it is difficult to feel hopeful. Present governance globally represents a dismissal of evidence. So this significantly hampers collective action.”

“Realistically, the prospects aren't very good which means we need to commence reflecting, more deeply about the consequences of our actions. And that’s not just global warming, that’s the entire manner that we treat our environment.”

Following an Example

As a result, it was noted this is a good time to honor Goodall’s example. “I think that in bestowing the prize, the focus will be on this core philosophy that Jane embodied – that was her priority, to transform our relationship with wildlife around us.”

Another key issue today is the proliferation of disinformation. The focus of next year’s Starmus festival will be “the search for truth”.

“It has become apparent that factual reality has become a matter of debate where political interests is involved. And it’s a very dangerous thing,” he commented. “Climate research remains a scientific discipline; it is impossible to have any influence by political agendas in this field.”

Optimism and Resolve

The goal remains that the medal will inspire positive change. “It’s about inspiring individuals to engage and to show concern and to work in that direction, really. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we must focus on working our utmost,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for failure, but you still continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.”

A descendant engaged in conservation work expressed hope that “given direction and when empowered, people can be diligent stewards of our planet”, citing the initiatives of a foundation which, in addition to its projects, empowers young people 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,” it was stated. “We still have an opportunity and this medal will provide inspiration and raise awareness about the positive actions that people are making.”