The Jane Goodall Earth Medal to Honor Individuals Acting to Better the Planet.
The world could be under strain, however a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor from the science, music and arts festival Starmus seeks to encourage people to act.
The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will honor in honour of the esteemed British primatologist who passed away recently. It is designed to celebrate individuals and groups that advocate for life on Earth.
Honoring a Legacy
The inaugural winners are expected to be announced during the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, scheduled from October 17th to 22nd next year.
According to statements that Jane Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had supported the medal's establishment. “The idea behind this medal, and the festival being tasked to oversee it, originated with Jane,” a statement said. “She expressed she would like this to happen. This is likely because of the very special bond she had with the festival.”
“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will acknowledge sustainable programmes undertaken to make our world improved for people, animals and the environment and provide encouragement to continue that work,” said a family member.
Structure and Vision
One of the founders of Starmus stated that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – will likely include several divisions.
“The intent is for it to be modeled after the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach established a decade past,” it was explained. Jane Goodall herself received of that award.
Sharing thoughts on the outlook of the planet, a prominent voice said, “Frankly, it's challenging to be optimistic. The current political climate globally is conducting a dismissal of evidence. So this undermines the world’s efforts.”
“Realistically, the situation appears very good therefore we must commence reflecting, more deeply regarding the impact of our actions. This concern encompasses not only climate change, but also the whole way in which we interact with our environment.”
Inspiring Change
Consequently, observers believe this is an opportune moment to honor her guiding principles. “I think that in bestowing this medal, we will be considering this essential spirit that Jane embodied – that was her priority, to change the way we treat wildlife with which we share the planet.”
A major topic at present involves the spread of disinformation. The theme of the upcoming Starmus festival is set as “the search for truth”.
“There is a recognition that truth has become a matter of debate when politics are involved. And it’s an alarming trend,” it was said. “The science of climate is a science; it is impossible to have any influence by political agendas in climate science.”
Hope and Determination
The hope remains that this honor can motivate positive change. “It’s about motivating others to engage and to show concern and to strive in that direction, really. Whether or not we’re optimistic, we must focus on working our utmost,” a statement concluded. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, yet we must continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.”
A family member involved in environmental protection shared optimism that “with guidance and when empowered, humanity are capable of being conscientious guardians of our planet”, citing the initiatives of an institute which, among its other activities, empowers young people become engaged with their community, animals, and environment.
“As Jane Goodall often told everyone, our daily actions make a difference and the responsibility lies with us the kind of difference we choose to create,” he said. “There is still time and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will offer support and increase understanding about the positive actions currently in progress.”