We start with news this week of three mediation conferences, two of which are in Istanbul.
Tomorrow sees the second mediation conference arranged by the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States and is followed on Friday by the fifth Istanbul Mediation Conference.
The foreign ministry who organised the second of the conferences said the event will focus on "enhancing the practice of mediation for sustaining peace...The Istanbul Mediation Conferences are organized in the context of the importance Turkey attributes to mediation as a method of prevention and peaceful resolution of conflicts…As in the previous years, the fifth Istanbul Mediation Conference will once again constitute a sufficient platform in the sharing of knowledge and experience to enhance the practice of mediation by bringing together international experts". (Northwest Mediation’s invite seems to have got lost in the post.)
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu added that since 2012 the conferences have been “designed to bring together numerous practitioners and scholars in the field of conflict prevention and mediation activities" adding that these conferences aim “to promote synergies between theory and practice and help increase scope, reach and effectiveness of the international community's mediation efforts"
Meanwhile last week saw Georgia’s capital Tbilisi host a two day mediation conference, where mediation is the primary method of settlement of claims in civil mediation as well as in some criminal matters.
Acting chairperson of the Supreme Court of Georgia Mzia Todua said “Georgia has made important steps forward in developing mediation and its legal framework…To keep pace, we need to share the best international knowledge and practices.”
Over 100 mediators and other delegates attended from nations around the world including representatives from local and national governments.
Speaking at the conference UN Resident Coordinator / UNDP Resident Representative in Georgia Louisa Vinton said “Everyone must be protected before the law and enjoy access to different mechanisms to exercise this right. Mediation and arbitration are a way to widen access to justice by making it more easily available to citizens”.
For those of you fond of statistics it’s anticipated that mediation will help reduce court cases by 30% in Georgia, one wonders why the take up of civil mediation is so low in the UK when it’s benefits are so widely recognised around the globe.
Meanwhile in China, at first blush it looks like rules are being set down as to how mediation rooms are to be constructed. Mediation rooms in the UK just need to be private and provide a calm and positive atmosphere, so mediation can take place in church halls, office meeting rooms, solicitors’ offices and business meeting rooms at hotels or specifically designed function rooms.
Northwest Mediation has in addition conducted mediation in properties which are the subject of disputes (whether property or inheritance) as well as at clients’ homes.
But in China specific legislation is being laid down for the design of mediation rooms, however this is not actually legislation on construction of rooms but on the talent that uses them, they, like all Northwest Mediation’s mediators need to be “kind, experienced in mediation, have a certain level of education and knowledge of policy and law” however they also need to be approved by a committee of the ruling Party, not a requirement which the UK has (thankfully) although all Northwest Mediation’s mediators are Civil Mediation Council so you can rest assured we know what we’re doing (while remaining kind and with an in depth knowledge of law and practice).
For examples of mediation in practice we go this week to the US where super star plastic surgeon Dr Terry Dubrow is attending mediation to resolve a $3 million law suit in which the former patient alleges the plastic surgery the unnamed female claimant received over two years was negligently conducted. She had (amongst other procedures) allegedly illegal buttock implants which led to infection and the removal of (again allegedly) five pounds of foreign material – presumably leaking silicone and infected tissue.
The story was set to feature on “Botched” but due to the complications permission was withdrawn, with Dubrow and team only stepping in after being begged to deal with a re-opening wound, she eventually wound up at her local hospital where she spent weeks recovering.
Dubrow has said “Despite all the problems she may be trying to make for us, we are still here for her in the future if she ever wants to reach out to help her with her continuing problems.”
If a resolution is found through mediation it will no doubt remain confidential as do all UK mediated agreements (unless the parties agree otherwise).
The frankly terrifying prospect of Ukraine going to war with Russia won’t have escaped your notice this week and so it comes as no surprise that international efforts are focused on resolving the arguments by any other means, including mediation.
Against a background of emergency meetings of NATO and the UN at a press conference in Madrid Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas proposed Germany and France act as mediators. He said the two European powers would “strive together, and if needed as mediators, to avoid the conflict leading to a serious crisis” adding the situation was “a danger for the security of Europe and we will both endeavour to finally find a political solution which we should have found a long time ago”
Whether you need a mediator to help out with the a construction matter (whether it's your room for mediation or not) in the Northwest, or council’s plans in Cheshire, a civil mediator in London, a commercial mediator in Manchester, a dispute resolution for your family in Liverpool, a neighborhood mediation in Stockport, then our mediators at Northwest Mediation can help.
Mediation is cheaper, quicker and less stressful than running any case to court, it can help with any dispute whether it's an employment issue or the sale at an under value of a property, a fight with a neighbour, family issues, civil or commercial disputes or inheritance arguments contact Northwest Mediation on 07931318347 or via email at ed.johnson@northwestmediation.co.uk
neighbour mediation; commercial dispute resolution; civil mediation; commercial dispute; corporate dispute; commercial mediator; family mediation; inheritance mediation; property mediator; civil mediator; civil litigation; fast track mediation; injury mediation
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