STARMUS VIII is entitled 'En busca de la verdad' and will take place in the Canary Islands from 17 to 22 October 2026. La Palma is one of the official venues, alongside Tenerife. The festival will bring together leading figures from the worlds of science, technology and culture on the island.
The programme includes lectures, discussions and other activities, all of which are explicitly open to the public. It is therefore aimed not only at specialists but also at anyone interested in experiencing science and culture within a shared framework.
The eighth edition also marks an anniversary: it celebrates the tenth anniversary of the Stephen Hawking Medal. A new addition is the Jane Goodall Earth Award, through which the festival emphasises its connection to science, knowledge and sustainability.
For La Palma, hosting the event also holds symbolic significance. The announcement describes it as a further step towards consolidating the island's international standing as a centre for astronomy and scientific culture.