Our planet might be under pressure, however a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus seeks to inspire people to make a difference.
This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will honor to pay tribute to the celebrated British primatologist who passed away recently. It is designed to celebrate individuals and groups that protect the natural world.
The first recipients are slated for announcement during the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, which will run from 17–22 October the coming year.
According to statements that Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had supported the award’s creation. “The vision of having this medal, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, originated with Jane,” a representative said. “Her desire was she would like for this to occur. And I think because of the unique connection she shared 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 foster motivation for the continuation such efforts,” said a family member.
A co-founder of Starmus noted that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – will likely have multiple categories.
“The intent is for it to be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach that we created a decade past,” it was explained. Jane Goodall herself received of that award.
Sharing thoughts on the outlook of the planet, one figure said, “To be truthful, it is difficult to feel hopeful. Present governance globally is conducting a dismissal of evidence. This situation really cripples global initiatives.”
“In truth, things don’t look very good which means we need to really start reflecting, more deeply regarding the impact of human activity. This concern encompasses not only climate change, but also the whole way that we treat nature.”
As a result, observers believe it was a good time to emulate Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that when we’re awarding this medal, we will be considering this essential spirit of Jane’s – that was her priority, to transform how we regard the other animals around us.”
A major topic at present involves the spread of false information. The central topic of the upcoming Starmus festival is set as “the pursuit of factual understanding”.
“It has become apparent that factual reality is becoming a matter of debate when politics are involved. This is a perilous development,” he commented. “The science of climate is a science; you cannot have any influence by political agendas in this field.”
The aspiration is that the medal will spur positive change. “It’s about motivating others to get involved and to show concern and to work in that direction, truly. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we must look at working all that is possible,” it was added. “Be prepared for failure, yet we must have to work to achieve positive outcomes.”
A family member engaged in conservation work shared confidence that “with guidance and once enabled, humanity are capable of being responsible caretakers of Earth”, citing the programs of an institute which, among its other activities, helps the youth become engaged with their community, animals, and the natural world.
“As my late grandmother repeatedly emphasized, our daily actions make a difference and the responsibility lies with us the kind of difference we choose to create,” it was stated. “It is not too late and this medal will offer support and increase understanding regarding beneficial initiatives currently in progress.”
Elena Hartwell is a multidisciplinary artist and educator passionate about fostering creative communities in London.