The science and arts festival Starmus, co-founded by Queen guitarist Sir Brian May, has announced the creation of a major new award to honour the legacy of the late British primatologist, Dame Jane Goodall. The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will recognise individuals and programmes dedicated to improving the world for people, animals, and the environment.
A Legacy of Conservation and Hope
Revealed at an event held at the Royal Society in London, the medal is a direct response to Goodall's own wishes. May confirmed that Goodall, who served on the Starmus advisory board until her death earlier this year, had personally supported the award's creation. "The idea of having this medal, and Starmus being entrusted to organising it, is Jane’s," May told the Guardian. "Jane said she would like this to happen."
The first recipients of the honour are scheduled to be announced at the Starmus VIII festival in Tenerife and La Palma, which runs from 17 to 22 October 2025. Organisers indicate the award will likely feature multiple categories, following the model of the festival's Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, which Goodall herself once received.
An Urgent Call for Action in a Challenging Climate
Both May and his Starmus co-founder, Garik Israelian, framed the new medal within a context of global environmental and political challenges. May expressed a grim outlook, citing a "war on science and knowledge" and the urgent need to reconsider humanity's impact on the natural world. "Things don’t look very good," he stated, "so we have to really start thinking again... about the consequences of our actions."
Israelian highlighted the dangerous proliferation of misinformation, particularly around climate science, which will inform the 2025 festival's theme: "the search for truth." Despite the daunting backdrop, the medal's purpose is fundamentally hopeful. "It’s about encouraging people to get involved and to care and to work in that direction," May emphasised. "Be prepared for failure, but you still have to work towards succeeding."
Inspiring Future Stewards of the Planet
The award has been warmly welcomed by Goodall's family. Her grandson, Merlin van Lawick, who is involved in conservation work, said the medal would acknowledge sustainable programmes and "provide encouragement for the continuation of that work." He pointed to the ongoing efforts of the Jane Goodall Institute, which empowers young people to engage with their communities and environment.
"As my late grandmother Jane Goodall constantly reminded us all, our daily actions make a difference," van Lawick said. "It is not too late and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will give encouragement and raise awareness about the positive actions that are being undertaken." The medal stands as a lasting tribute to Goodall's pioneering spirit and a catalyst for future action in safeguarding the planet.
