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Our planet might be under strain, but there is hope. A fresh honor originating at the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival seeks to inspire people to make a difference.

The medal will honor in honour of the celebrated scientist and conservationist who died this year. It seeks to acknowledge those who advocate for our planet's biodiversity.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees are slated for announcement during the upcoming Starmus event in Tenerife and La Palma, which will run from 17–22 October the coming year.

Reports indicate that Jane Goodall, a former member of the festival's board, had backed the medal's establishment. “The idea of having this award, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a representative said. “Her desire was that she wanted this to happen. This is likely due to the unique connection she had with us.”

“This medal will acknowledge enduring projects undertaken to make our world a better place for people, animals and the environment and offer support for the continuation that work,” commented a relative.

Structure and Vision

A co-founder of Starmus stated that the medal – which was announced at a scientific institution – would probably encompass various fields.

“It’s going to be modeled after the Stephen Hawking award for science communication that we created exactly 10 years ago,” it was explained. Goodall herself received of that award.

Sharing thoughts about the future of the planet, a prominent voice stated, “Honestly, it's challenging to be optimistic. Certain policies in one major nation is conducting an assault on knowledge. So this significantly hampers global initiatives.”

“Realistically, things don’t look very good therefore we must really start thinking again, much more seriously regarding the impact of human activity. This concern encompasses not only global warming, but also the whole way in which we interact with our environment.”

A Call to Action

As a result, observers believe it was an opportune moment to follow her guiding principles. “I think that in bestowing this medal, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her foremost concern, to transform how we regard the other animals with which we share the planet.”

A pressing concern currently is the proliferation of misinformation. The central topic of the upcoming Starmus festival will be “the search for truth”.

“There is a recognition that truth has become a matter of debate where political interests are involved. And it’s an alarming trend,” he commented. “The climate science is a science; you cannot have any influence by political agendas in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The goal is that the medal can motivate positive change. “It focuses on motivating others to engage and to care and to strive toward these goals, truly. Whether or not we’re optimistic, we have to focus on working our utmost,” it was added. “Be prepared for setbacks, yet we must have to work towards succeeding.”

A descendant involved in environmental protection shared confidence that “given direction and when empowered, people can be diligent stewards of Earth”, pointing to the initiatives of a foundation which, in addition to its projects, assists young people get involved locally, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother constantly told everyone, the choices we make each day make a difference and it is up to us what type of impact we make,” he said. “There is still time and this medal will provide inspiration and increase understanding regarding constructive efforts that are being undertaken.”