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Our planet might be under pressure, yet a sense of hope remains. A new award from the science, music and arts festival the Starmus festival will motivate individuals to act.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal is to be awarded in honour of the celebrated scientist and conservationist who died recently. It will recognise individuals and groups that advocate for the natural world.

The Medal's Framework

Initial honorees are expected to be announced at the upcoming Starmus event in Tenerife and La Palma, scheduled from October 17th to 22nd the coming year.

It was shared that Jane Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The vision of having this award, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, was Jane's wish,” a representative said. “Her desire was that she wanted for this to occur. And I think because of the unique connection she shared with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will acknowledge ongoing initiatives undertaken to make our world improved for all living beings and ecosystems and provide encouragement for the continuation that work,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of the festival indicated that the medal – which was announced at a prestigious venue – would probably encompass various fields.

“It will be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking medal honoring scientific outreach that we created exactly 10 years ago,” it was explained. Jane Goodall was a recipient of that award.

Expressing concern on the outlook of the planet, a prominent voice stated, “Honestly, it's challenging to feel hopeful. The current political climate in one major nation is conducting a dismissal of evidence. This situation undermines the world’s efforts.”

“Realistically, things don’t look very good therefore we must really start reflecting, more deeply regarding the impact of our actions. This concern encompasses not just climate change, that’s the whole way that we treat nature.”

Inspiring Change

As a result, it was noted it was an opportune moment to follow Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that when we’re awarding this medal, we will be considering this essential spirit of Jane’s – which made her priority, to change the way we treat fellow creatures around us.”

Another key issue at present involves the spread of false information. The central topic of the upcoming festival is set as “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“It has become apparent that truth has become a subject of discussion when politics is involved. And it’s an alarming trend,” it was said. “Climate research is a science; it is impossible to allow interference from politics in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The goal remains that the medal can motivate action. “The purpose is motivating others to participate and to care and to work in that direction, truly. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we have to focus on doing our utmost,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for failure, yet we must continue striving towards succeeding.”

A family member engaged in environmental protection shared hope that “with guidance and when empowered, humans are capable of being responsible caretakers of Earth”, citing the initiatives of a foundation that, in addition to its projects, assists the youth get involved with their community, animals, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall repeatedly told everyone, the choices we make each day make a difference and it is up to us the kind of difference we make,” it was stated. “There is still time and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will offer support and raise awareness about constructive efforts that people are making.”