Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace


This question pertains to the following CPNN articles.

Fostering a Culture of Peace. Member Spotlight: Dr. Stephanie Myers

International dialogue for peer mediation

Argentina: International Meeting of Participatory Conflict Resolution Methods

Brazil Federal District: Management of Culture of Peace and Mediation completes one year this Wednesday

Mexico: UAEMéx and the Judiciary promote a culture of peace

Bolivia: XVIII World Mediation Congress

Argentina : Federal Network of Centers for Community Mediation and Training in School Mediation with an Example from Province of Buenos Aires

Granada, Spain : The Mediation Group shows members how to put the transformative model into practice

Panama : Management results in 2021 of the Coordination Office of the Community Mediation Program

Centers for Mediation, Conciliation and Restorative Justice in the State of Mexico

Indian Ministry of Law and Justice : The Mediation Bill, 2021

Dominican Republic: 11 Thousand People Train in Conflict Resolution and Culture of Peace in 2021

Mexico: Municipal Mediation Unit of the City of Merida to promote a Culture of Peace

The 3rd Latin American Congress of Restorative Justice closed with more than 4,400 registered participants

Oaxaca, Mexico: Judicial Power privileges culture of peace with alternative justice

Argentina: Conflicts: Positive Balance of Community Mediations

Spain: Professor Marta Gonzalo Quiroga recognized for her impetus to the culture of peace

Querétaro, Mexico: Mediation has benefited almost 8 thousand people in the capital

Argentina: The T20 Summit and the 14th World Congress of Mediation and a Culture of Peace: Integrating approaches

PAYNCoP Gabon organizes a conference on the challenges of building peace in Africa

Bangui opens training workshop on mediation and conflict resolution

Mexico: Culture of Peace Congress – Necessity of the XXI Century

Argentina: XIV World Congress of Mediation and Culture of Peace

Petropolis-Peace celebrates one year and 400 mediations

Tandil, Argentina: Municipal Mediation Center participates in the Provincial Meeting of Mediators

Peru: Launch of the national extrajudicial conciliation campaign

Mexico: Marcos Aguilar Inaugurates Forum “Towards a Culture of Peace”

Argentina: Participants and Themes Announced for the IV Meeting of the International Peace Observatory

Mexico: UAT teaches university students “Mediation for a Culture of Peace”

México: Imparte UAT a universitarios “La mediación para una cultura de paz”

Mexico: Sixteenth National Congress of Mediation inaugurated in Tlalnepantla

México: Inauguran en Tlalnepantla el XVI congreso nacional de mediación

Spain: The Second Latin American Congress makes Vila-real the international capital of police mediation

España: El II Congreso Iberoamericano sitúa a Vila-real como capital internacional de la mediación policial

Mediterranean meeting on mediation to be held in Tangier, Morocco

Guatemala: Se Da A Conocer El III Congreso Internacional De Mediación

The Third International Conference on Mediation to take place in Guatemala

México: Promueve la SEGOB la mediación como alternativa para solución de conflictos

Mexico: The government promotes mediation as an alternative for the resolution of conflicts

Colombia: Siga en vivo el XII Congreso Mundial de Mediación y Cultura de Paz

Colombia: Follow live the 12th World Congress of Mediation and Culture of Peace

Honduras: OEA recibirá a facilitadores judiciales en el diálogo de hoy

Honduras: OAS to receive report about judicial facilitators

Bolivia: Los conciliadores se forman a contrarreloj en cultura de paz

Bolivia: Mediators are formed in culture of peace

Johan Galtung, recognized as a leading peace educator, has this to say with regard to mediation, addressed in particular to the question of mediation by police:

[There are] different levels of “crime” mainly for the lower classes; “scandal”, “tragedy” for those higher up. . . .The special police for economic crimes are not present at board meetings where super-crimes are concocted. Yet, the local police “on the beat” are often there when lower class crimes are in the making.

How can they mediate? By talking with them, identifying what they want, telling very clearly that crime is illegitimate, and then suggesting other ways of meeting legitimate needs with a new reality.

Case 1: Economic crimes, or with economic roots. A dirt poor family not knowing where the meal next day may come from. The son brings in some money through petty thefts, the daughter by selling her body. Sooner or later they are captured, brought to court, or to “foster homes” to become law-abiding–and the family sinks into more poverty.

New reality: lifting the economic bottom up, meeting the basic needs for food and water, clothes and a roof, health services and education–for dignity, and for participation in the economy as consumers and producers. The police can help organize basic need cooperatives for the poorest in the poorest local communities–with potential and real law-breakers like the boy and the girl mentioned– with sales points directly to neighbors with some money. In a couple of years dignity is restored, the credit is paid back, the whole economy has improved.

Case 2: Crimes for a risky, less boring life. They want to beat the police, playing games at the limit or beyond of legality: fame for a day. Others want to use their bodies in a society designed for the minds of the educated (who can study how to profit from lower class countries and peoples in the Departments of Economics e.g. as “comparative advantages” and “laws of the market”). Alternatives are badly needed.

New reality: Sports, team sports like football for cooperation, using the body, taking risks at the limits of the lines, winning and losing, with a second chance next Sunday. Instant fame. Great.

Another way is Politics, Democracy, organizations, meetings, resolutions, demonstrations, all nonviolent, not using wars, winning and losing, with a second chance in four years or so. Great.

Dear Police Officers, please go ahead– with this, and more. And tell Military Officers about mediation to remove wars and build peace.