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Earth is facing challenges, however there is hope. A new award from the interdisciplinary festival the Starmus festival seeks to encourage people to take action.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal is to be awarded in memory of the esteemed British primatologist who passed away recently. It seeks to acknowledge those who protect life on Earth.

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.

It was shared that Goodall, who was a member of the festival's board, had backed the award’s creation. “The idea of having this medal, and the festival being tasked with organising it, was Jane's wish,” a representative said. “Her desire was she would like for this to occur. This is likely because of the unique connection she shared with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal aims to highlight sustainable programmes carried out to make our world a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and foster motivation for the continuation such efforts,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of Starmus noted that the medal – unveiled at a prestigious venue – will likely encompass various fields.

“It’s going to be inspired by the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach that we created a decade past,” it was explained. Goodall was an honoree of that award.

Sharing thoughts about the future of the planet, one figure remarked, “To be truthful, it's challenging to be optimistic. Certain policies globally represents a dismissal of evidence. This situation really cripples the world’s efforts.”

“In truth, the situation appears very good therefore we must commence reflecting, more deeply regarding the impact of our actions. This concern encompasses not just climate change, that’s the entire manner that we treat our environment.”

Following an Example

As a result, it was noted it was a good time to honor Goodall’s example. “It is believed that when we’re awarding this medal, we will be considering this core philosophy that Jane embodied – which made her priority, to transform the way we treat fellow creatures around us.”

Another key issue at present is the proliferation of false information. The theme of the upcoming Starmus festival is set as “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“It has become apparent that factual reality is becoming contested where political interests is involved. And it’s an alarming trend,” he commented. “The climate science remains a scientific discipline; you cannot have any influence by political agendas in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The goal is that this honor will inspire concrete steps. “It’s about encouraging people to participate and to show concern and to strive toward these goals, truly. Whether or not we’re optimistic, we must focus on doing our utmost,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, but you still have to work toward success.”

A descendant involved in environmental protection expressed confidence that “given direction and once enabled, humanity can be diligent stewards of Earth”, highlighting the programs of a foundation that, among its other activities, helps the next generation get involved with their community, animals, and the natural world.

“As my late grandmother often emphasized, the choices we make each day have an impact and it is up to us what type of impact we choose to create,” he said. “It is not too late and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will provide inspiration and raise awareness about beneficial initiatives currently in progress.”