PRESS RELEASE
Search for The Truth: STARMUS
Marking 10 Years of the Stephen Hawking Medal
Launching the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth Medal & STARMUS VIII in Canary Islands, Spain
London, 16 December 2025 at 3.00 p.m. at the Royal Society
Exactly ten years after STARMUS and Professor Stephen Hawking stood together at the Royal Society to launch the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, the world’s leading festival of science and music returns to this historic venue for groundbreaking announcements.
Firstly, STARMUS VIII — THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH will be held in Tenerife & La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain from 17–22 October 2026
In October 2026, Tenerife and La Palma will host the most ambitious STARMUS edition yet — a celebration of science, art, music, exploration, and the responsibility we share for the future of our species and our planet. Over the past decade, STARMUS has grown into what international media have called “a festival that is truly out of this world” — a gathering where dozens of Nobel laureates, legendary astronauts, pioneering scientists, technology leaders, and world-renowned artists share the same stage. A place where boundaries between disciplines dissolve, and where ideas travel freely from the depths of the cosmos to the frontiers of human creativity. This STARMUS is a gathering of global thinkers to discuss one of humanity’s most urgent missions: the pursuit of scientific and moral truth in a troubled world.
As Stephen Hawking once said of STARMUS:
“In a world beset by so many terrible problems and so lacking in solutions, STARMUS offers a ray of hope. STARMUS confirms its position as a unique debating chamber for the future of the human race.”
Secondly, STARMUS VIII in 2026 will provide us with the opportunity to showcase the 10th Anniversary of the Starmus Stephen Hawking Medal honouring a decade of creators, scientists, storytellers, musicians, filmmakers, and communicators who have carried forward Hawking’s vision — inspiring the world to look upward, question deeply, and celebrate the power of science.
And thirdly, we announce the STARMUS JANE GOODALL EARTH MEDAL, aglobal award honouring the most impactful voices who work to protect our planet, defend biodiversity, and redefine humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Approved and blessed by Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE and her family, this new medal becomes a powerful extension of the STARMUS mission. If the Hawking Medal celebrates those who communicate the wonders of theuniverse the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth Medal celebrates those who champion the life that flourishes on our home planet.
Together, the two medals form a unified arc of human responsibility:
- From the cosmos above us to the living world around us.
- From curiosity to compassion.
- From exploration to stewardship.
HONOURING THE LEGACY OF JANE GOODALL
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE (1934–2025), Founder – the Jane Goodall Institute & United Nations Messenger of Peace was one of the most influential scientists and humanitarians of the modern era. Her pioneering work with chimpanzees transformed our understanding of intelligence, emotion, family, and the deep connections shared by all living beings.
Far beyond her discoveries, Jane became a global symbol of hope:
- Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute a global organization with offices in 30 countries dedicated to research, conservation science, education, animal welfare, community-led development
- Founder of Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, her environmental and humanitarian programme empowering young people of all ages in over 75 countries to become involved in hands-on projects for the community, animals and the environment.
- A tireless UN Messenger of Peace who travelled the world, reminding us that “our daily actions make a difference.”
Jane Goodall played a cherished role within STARMUS as an Advisory Board Member, Hawking Medal laureate, keynote speaker, and a beacon of inspiration whose messages touched the people of La Palma after the volcanic eruption. In private conversations with STARMUS director and co-founder Garik Israelian and her VP & assistant Mary Lewis, Jane gave her blessing to create an environmental and humanitarian medal in her name.
QUOTE: Garik Israelian, STARMUS Director and Co-Founder
“Ten years ago, Stephen Hawking joined us launch a medal that inspired millions to look to the stars.
Today, with the blessing of Jane Goodall and her family, we launch a medal that calls us to protect the Earth. STARMUS VIII will unite these two visions — the cosmic and the planetary — in a festival dedicated to the search for truth.”
Sir Brian May, STARMUS Co-Founder
“Jane Goodall and Stephen Hawking are two human spirits who changed the way we see the world: one by looking to the stars, the other by reminding us of the urgent need to protect the life beneath our feet, and the need for true humanity in science. Bringing their legacies together at STARMUS is something profoundly moving and deeply necessary for our time.”
For further information about STARMUS, please contact:
Nicole Ettinger
Nicole@ettingerpr.com
+44 7515 394107
For further information about Jane Goodall and the work of the Jane Goodall Institute see www.janegoodall.global
