This question pertains to the following CPNN articles.
Argentina: International Meeting of Participatory Conflict Resolution Methods
Mexico: UAEMéx and the Judiciary promote a culture of peace
Bolivia: XVIII World Mediation Congress
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
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
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”
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
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
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.