In the first-ever International Mediation Conclave held in Hyderabad for four days earlier this week, global legal experts and professors of law shed light on the increasingly important role of ADR in a global landscape. The four-day event aimed to widen the appreciation of mediation as a powerful tool for conflict resolution and provide a platform for knowledge sharing and skill development.
A comprehensive workshop was organised to equip aspiring mediators with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate and resolve conflicts effectively, followed by the conference.
Organised by Mahindra University’s School of Law, Lex Erudites and Grayspace Law & Policy Consulting, the event was attended by leading legal experts such as Santhaan Krishnan, NIVAARAN, Supreme Court of India, Adv Parvathi Menon A, Advocate, High Court of Kerala, Adv. Gajendra Singh Rajpurohit, Advocate, High Court of Kerala, Hon’ble Mr. Justice G. Raghuram (Retd.), Dr. Balakista Reddy, Dean, School of Law, Mahindra University and K.S. Sarma, Hyderabad Academy of Mediation and Peace Studies, Prof. (Dr.) Bryan Clark, Newcastle University, UK.
The event kicked off with a keynote address delivered by Dr. Sherif Elnegahny, Chief Judge, Cairo Economic Affairs Court and Mediator, Global Mediation Panel, Office of the Ombudsman for UN Funds and Programmes, United Nations in which he focused on the intricate concept of multiple courts and emphasized that proper training in conflict resolution is crucial. Prof (Dr.) Bryan Clark, Professor of Law & Civil Justice at Newcastle University, UK led the workshop on the importance of mediation education for young lawyers with an international perspective and highlighted the significance of education for young lawyers in mediation at an international scale.
Santhaan Krishnan, Advocate Supreme Court of India spoke about the court systems during the post-Industrial era, a time when the courts were primarily burdened with resolving an overwhelming number of cases. He emphasised that the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) was developed as a solution for this issue.
Prof. Joel Lee, Professor at National University of Singapore shared insights on the recent trends in mediation and Singapore convention on mediation and importance of Alternate Dispute Resolution and Online Dispute Resolution.
Hon’ble Justice B. Prakash Rao, former Judge High Court, Andhra Pradesh and Chief Guest to the Conclave, provided valuable information on the historical and cultural similarities between traditional Indian panchayats and contemporary mediation methods, promoting the idea of harmoniously incorporating both systems.
Sagar Singamsetty, representing Grayspace Policy and Consulting, Belgium discussed the profound impact of mediation in settling a wide range of issues, from personal disputes to intricate business and governmental negotiations.
Prof. Dr. Yajulu Medury, Vice Chancellor of Mahindra University, in his speech stressed the importance of this Conclave in giving students unique insights into the mediation process, urging them to imbibe the knowledge offered by international experts.
Dr. Balakista Reddy, Dean, School of Law, Mahindra University, stated that judicial settlement has travelled from institutional mechanisms to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). He explained that due to the failures of institutional mechanisms, ADR was adopted. He observed that while ADR initially held a prominent position, mediation has now taken the forefront. He stressed that the principle “Ignorance of the Law is no excuse” also applies to the Constitution, and he extended his gratitude to all.
K S Sharma, Director and CEO, Life Skill (India) conducted a practical session on mediation skills on the topic “The art of mediation: Bridging Theory and Practice” to make the workshop during the conclave more engaging.
The sessions featured various aspects of mediation, with panels discussing the Mediation Act of 2023, international mediation practices, commercial mediation, online mediation, and the future of mediation as a mainstream conflict resolution mechanism. In addition, an Essay Writing Competition was held on the topic, “Mediation as a Tool for Global Peace and Conflict Resolution”. On the sidelines of the conclave, a Mediation Competition, was organised where students from 12 colleges/Universities including International Teams demonstrated their mediation abilities by participating in a series of simulated disagreements. In the competition, West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) secured the first position and was awarded a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh and SDM Law College, Mangaluru, was the runner up.
