The eighth edition of the Starmus festival will take place in Tenerife and La Palma from 17 to 22 October, featuring Nobel laureates, astronauts, scientists, physicists, ecologists, and renowned artists like Brian May, Andrea Bocelli, and Sarah Brightman.
The announcement of the festival was made at the Cuevas Blancas Scientific and Technological Park, attended by officials from the Canary Islands government, local councils, the University of La Laguna, the Starlight Foundation, and Starmus founders Garik Israelian and Brian May.
During the launch, the festival’s international significance and its role in promoting science were highlighted. Israelian noted that Stephen Hawking’s visit to Tenerife a decade ago helped kick-start the event. He emphasised that this edition celebrates “the extraordinary community” built around the belief that science belongs to everyone.
Brian May remarked that the Stephen Hawking Medal was created to spread science beyond the scientific community and make it accessible to society at large. He stressed the importance of recognising those who promote knowledge, especially as “truth, evidence, and critical thinking are increasingly challenged.”
The opening concert and medal ceremony will occur on 17 October, featuring performances by Andrea Bocelli, Brian May, and Sarah Brightman, alongside the Las Palmas Symphony Orchestra and the Starmus All Stars band. The event will present the Stephen Hawking Medal for Scientific Communication as well as the inaugural Jane Goodall Earth Medal.
This year, the Stephen Hawking Medal for 2026 will be awarded to British scientist Brian Cox for his contributions to physics and science communication. Additionally, the Jane Goodall Earth Medal will be presented to Costa Rican anthropologist and economist Christiana Figueres for her leadership in climate action and environmental awareness.
Among the confirmed speakers is Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton, recognised as a leading voice in artificial intelligence. The festival will wrap up on 22 October in La Palma, featuring a roundtable discussion, a conference, and a free public concert.
