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The world might be under strain, however optimism persists. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus aims to motivate the public to make a difference.

The medal is to be awarded in memory of the esteemed scientist and conservationist who passed away recently. It seeks to acknowledge individuals and groups that protect our planet's biodiversity.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees are expected to be announced during the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, scheduled from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

Reports indicate that Jane Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The concept of having this award, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a representative said. “She said she would like this to happen. And I think because of the unique relationship she had with us.”

“This medal will recognize ongoing initiatives carried out to create a planet a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and foster motivation to carry on that work,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of Starmus stated that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – would probably include several divisions.

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

Expressing concern on the outlook for Earth, a prominent voice remarked, “Honestly, it's challenging to feel hopeful. Present governance in one major nation represents a war on science. So this really cripples the world’s efforts.”

“To be honest, things don’t look particularly bright which means we need to begin to reconsidering, more deeply about the consequences of human activity. And that’s not just climate change, that’s the entire manner that we treat our environment.”

A Call to Action

Therefore, observers believe it was an opportune moment to honor Goodall’s example. “It is believed that in bestowing the prize, we will be considering this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her foremost concern, to change our relationship with wildlife around us.”

Another key issue today involves the spread of false information. The focus of the upcoming festival will be “the search for truth”.

“We realised that truth has become a subject of discussion when politics is involved. This is a very dangerous thing,” it was said. “Climate research is a science; you cannot have any influence from politics in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration is that this honor can motivate concrete steps. “It focuses on motivating others to participate and to show concern and to strive in that direction, really. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we have to focus on doing the best we can,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for setbacks, yet we must have to work towards succeeding.”

A descendant involved in environmental protection shared hope that “given direction and when empowered, humanity can be responsible caretakers of our planet”, highlighting the work of a foundation that, among its other activities, assists the next generation get involved locally, wildlife, and environment.

“As Jane Goodall constantly told everyone, our daily actions have an impact and the responsibility lies with us the kind of difference we make,” it was stated. “There is still time and this medal will give encouragement and raise awareness about beneficial initiatives currently in progress.”