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Our planet might be under pressure, but there is hope. A new award from the science, music and arts festival the Starmus festival will inspire the public to take action.

The medal will be given in memory of the esteemed British primatologist who died recently. It seeks to acknowledge those who protect the natural world.

Honoring a Legacy

The inaugural winners are slated for announcement at the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, which will run from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

Reports indicate that Jane Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The concept behind this medal, and Starmus being entrusted with organising it, was Jane's wish,” a statement said. “She expressed that she wanted this to happen. This is likely due to the very special connection she shared with us.”

“This medal will recognize ongoing initiatives carried out to create a planet improved for all living beings and ecosystems and offer support to continue such efforts,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of Starmus stated that the medal – unveiled at a prestigious venue – would probably include several divisions.

“It will be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking medal for science communication established a decade past,” he explained. Jane Goodall herself received of that award.

Expressing concern about the future for Earth, a prominent voice stated, “To be truthful, it's challenging to be optimistic. Certain policies in one major nation is conducting a war on science. This situation undermines collective action.”

“Realistically, the prospects aren't very good therefore we must commence reconsidering, much more seriously regarding the impact of our actions. This concern encompasses not only global warming, but also the whole way in which we interact with nature.”

Inspiring Change

As a result, observers believe it was an opportune moment to honor Jane Goodall's legacy. “It is believed that when we’re awarding this medal, we will be considering this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her priority, to transform how we regard fellow creatures around us.”

A pressing concern at present is the proliferation of misinformation. The theme of the upcoming Starmus festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“We realised that truth has become a matter of debate where political interests is involved. And it’s a very dangerous thing,” he commented. “The science of climate is a science; you cannot have any influence by political agendas in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The goal is that this honor will spur concrete steps. “It focuses on motivating others to get involved and to care and to strive in that direction, really. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we have to look at working all that is possible,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for failure, but you still continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.”

A descendant engaged in environmental protection shared hope that “with guidance and once enabled, humans are capable of being conscientious guardians of Earth”, citing the initiatives of an institute which, among its other activities, assists the youth become engaged with their community, wildlife, and environment.

“As my late grandmother often emphasized, our daily actions are significant and the responsibility lies with us the kind of difference we make,” he said. “We still have an opportunity and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will give encouragement and increase understanding regarding the positive actions that people are making.”