A new international award has been established to honour the legacy of the late British primatologist and conservation icon, 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 Inspiration and Action
The medal was announced by the science, music, and arts festival Starmus, which was co-founded by Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Sir Brian May. The first recipients are set to be unveiled at the Starmus VIII festival in Tenerife and La Palma, running from 17 to 22 October 2025.
Sir Brian May revealed that the creation of the award was directly supported by Goodall herself, who served on the Starmus advisory board. "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." He attributed the initiative to the "very special relationship" Goodall had with the festival.
Recognising Sustainable Change
Garik Israelian, the co-founder of Starmus, indicated the award would likely feature multiple categories, drawing a parallel to the festival's Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, which Goodall herself once received. The announcement was made at a prestigious event held at the Royal Society in London.
Goodall's grandson, Merlin van Lawick, who is actively involved in conservation, warmly welcomed the new honour. He stated the medal would "acknowledge sustainable programmes undertaken to make our world a better place" and provide crucial encouragement for their continuation.
A Call for Truth and Responsibility in a Troubled Time
Both May and Israelian framed the award within a context of contemporary global challenges. May expressed a grim outlook, citing political interference in science, particularly in the United States, as a major obstacle. "Honestly it's very hard to be optimistic," he admitted, urging for more serious consideration of humanity's impact on the natural world, beyond just climate change.
Israelian highlighted the dangerous proliferation of misinformation, noting that next year's Starmus festival will focus on "the search for truth." He emphasised that "climate science is a science – you cannot have any influence from politics in climate science."
Despite the challenges, the medal is intended as a beacon of hope. "It's about encouraging people to get involved and to care and to work in that direction, really," said May. Van Lawick echoed a measure of optimism, pointing to the empowering community work of the Jane Goodall Institute. "As my late grandmother Jane Goodall constantly reminded us all, our daily actions make a difference," he said. "It is not too late."
The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal aims to channel that enduring message, raising awareness of positive actions and inspiring a new generation to become responsible caretakers of our planet.
