EXTRACTS FROM THE WEBSITE FOR THE

2011 ASIA PACIFIC MEDIATION FORUM SUMMIT‘FROM TALK TO ACTION’

2-4 DECEMBER,. BANGKOK

SEE THE SUMMIT WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.mediation-leadership.com

We would like to thank all the delegates, speakers, collaborators, action groups and cross-cutting themes leaders and participants and everyone else who helped to make this Summit a success! We appreciate your active participation in collaboratively progressing mediation and other conflict transformation and peacebuilding processes in the Asia Pacific region and beyond.

Note: The group photo shows a selection of delegates and collaborators, given that quite some

people needed to leave early on Sunday due to flight connections. A separate page with photos of all the events over the 3 days will be put online in due time.

Summit Aims, Objectives and Design

During the 4th APMF Mediation Conference in Malaysia (2008), Delegates’ identified the need for access to a “collaborative strategic dialogue and action planning space” in which they could collectively and more comprehensively contribute to the advancement of mediation, conflict transformation and peace-building processes in the region. The APMF Executive and Summit Coordination Committee are committed to providing this vital “space” through a collaborative Summit that offers opportunities for stimulating dialogue (e.g. discussions with renowned international, regional, national experts and professional colleagues); knowledge building and skills sharing (e.g. course, field trip and mentoring opportunities, sharing case studies and research findings, etc.), the identification and engagement of cross-cutting and themed Mediation Action Groups, the design and implementation of strategic Mediation Action Plans with possible opportunities for seed funding and/or support coupled with dynamic and deepened global networking. The Summit's collaborative aim, objectives and design, as detailed subsequently, and anticipated outcomes have real potential to contribute to and advance mediation, conflict transformation and peace-building processes in culturally fluent ways across the Asia Pacific region.

Aim

To engage a range of experienced academics, mediation, conflict transformation and peace-building practitioners from different cultural, organisational and professional backgrounds who are culturally fluent, creative and innovative, and want to contribute (and build on) their knowledge and expertise to proactively evolve the way that conflicts are mediated, transformed and peace is built in the Asia Pacific region.

Objectives

1. To evolve capacity, advance collaborations, build networks and promote cross-cultural awareness and understanding of mediation, other conflict transformation and peace-building processes in the Asia Pacific region.

2. To mine the collective depths of the Delegates’ expertise and skills in order to inspire strategies for change that can advance mediation, other conflict transformation and peace-building processes that ensure sustainable peace in the Asia Pacific region.

3. To evolve effective themed action plans derived from cross-cutting and focused facilitated round-table discussions that can be implemented by Delegates and/or their affiliates, of

which have real potential to advance mediation, other conflict transformation and peace-building processes in culturally fluent ways in the Asia Pacific region.

4. To inspire and support initiatives to advance mediation, other conflict transformation and peace-building processes globally.

Collaborators and Sponsors

Umbrella Collaborator

The Asia Pacific Mediation Forum (APMF) served as the Umbrella Collaborator; ultimately, ensuring the overall coordination of the Summit. The AMPF Summit Coordinator’s Terms of Reference includes: designing the overall collaborative Summit design and process; identifying and engaging core collaborators; facilitating the collaborative identification of cross-cutting and Mediation Action Group themes; collaboratively identifying and engaging cross-cutting and themed collaborators; collaboratively identifying, designing, developing, and implementing cross-cutting and themed Mediation Action Group sessions and events; collaboratively identifying and engaging renowned international, regional and national keynote speakers; designing and collaboratively evolving the Mediation Student Mentor Program; securing scholarships for registering Non-OECD delegates; identifying and securing the venue; securing overall sponsors; and globally publicizing the Summit.

For detailed information on the Umbrella Collaborator, please see the subsequent paragraphs.

Asian-Pacific Mediation Forum (APMF)

The APMF was proud to be the umbrella organization for the first Asia Pacific Mediation Leadership Summit 'From Talk To Action'.

The main objective of the APMF is to facilitate the exchange and development of knowledge, values and skills of mediation in any form including inter-cultural, interpersonal, inter-institutional and international, within and between the diverse countries and cultures in the Asia-Pacific region. To fulfil this objective, conferences will be held in the Asia Pacific region every two years, with a different country taking responsibility for hosting each conference.

Our role as such is to bring together experienced mediation, other conflict transformation and peacebuilding practitioners, researchers, educators, trainers and policy makers from different cultural, organisational and professional backgrounds who are culturally fluent, creative and innovative, want to contribute (and build on) their knowledge and expertise, and are prepared to play a leadership role in transforming the way that conflicts are handled in the Asia Pacific region..

Core Collaborators

Core Collaborators were Thailand based and include Thailand’s renowned King Prajadhipok Institute for Peace and Democracy (KPI), Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Ministry of Public Health’s Center for Peace in Health Care (MoPH), Chulalongkorn University’s Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, The Rotary Peace Centre, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Working closely with the Summit Coordinator, Core Collaborators Terms of Reference include: actively contributing to the overall collaborative Summit design and process; collaboratively identifying Cross-Cutting and Themed Collaborators; collaboratively identifying, designing, developing, and implementing selected Cross-Cutting and Themed Mediation Action Group sessions and events; providing scholarships for registering Non-OECD Delegates; securing and/or providing overall sponsorship when possible; publicizing the Summit within Thailand. Importantly, each Core Collaborator will take a lead role in the overall design, implementation and follow-up of a Cross-Cutting and/or Themed Mediation Action Group in conjunction with regional and international collaborators, as presented in more detail in the Action Groups and Forums webpage..

The King Prajadhipok's Institute for Peace and Democracy (KPI)

The King Prajadhipok's Institute (KPI) is an independent Thai State agency created in 1998 (KPI Act B.E 2541) to promote the development of democracy in Thailand.

KPI develops research, guidelines and policy for the development of democracy through cooperation domestically as well as internationally with other actors in democracy development and the academic world. KPI provides training and education for personnel in the public and private sectors and for general public concerning politics, public administration and socio-economic issues in democracies. The agency also supports the work of the National Assembly and the process of decentralizationChulalongkorn University Center for Peace and Conflict Studies and the Rotary Peace Center

The Center for Peace and Conflict Studies and the Rotary Peace Center at Chulalongkorn University work cooperatively to advance peace research, training, and activities.

The Center for Peace and Conflict Studies in involved with various peacebuilding and research projects in addition to regular seminars, workshops, and conferences on topics related to peace and conflict studies.

The Rotary Peace Center at Chulalongkorn University conducts a three month professional development certificate training course in peace and conflict studies twice yearly to experienced professionals from around the world who are currently working in fields related to conflict resolution, peacebuilding, capacity building, human rights, etc.

A link to the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Chulalongkorn University can be found here in English.

The website of the Rotary Peace Center at Chulalongkorn University can be found here in English.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. In 2005, UNDP established the Asia-Pacific Regional Centre in Bangkok to strengthen its partnerships and promote regional capacity building initiatives. This allows UNDP, governments and other development partners to identify, create and share knowledge to solve development challenges in the areas of Governance; Energy and Sustainable development; and Crisis prevention and Recovery with the overall aim of reducing poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. UNDP promotes south-south cooperation as an essential part of knowledge sharing and promotes gender equality as central to all its efforts.

One of the priority focus areas of the Asia-Pacific Regional Centre is on Crisis Prevention and Recovery. The Centre supports countries to build regional and national capacities to manage risks, prevent conflicts, respond to, and recover from crisis. It assists countries at high-risk to conflict and disasters by providing timely support to assess, develop and implement projects on risk reduction and sustainable recovery. It recognizes

differentiated vulnerabilities (such as those based on gender) and ensures that these concerns become an integral part of initiatives on preparedness, risk reduction and recovery efforts on the ground.

Cross-cutting and Themed Mediation Action Group Collaborators

In conjunction with the Summit Coordinator and Core Collaborators, regional to international cross-cutting and themed collaborators progressively engaged in the Summit design, developments, forthcoming implementation and follow-up. Collaborators' Terms of Reference included: collaboratively refining cross-cutting and key Mediation Action Group themes; collaboratively engaging in the design, implementation and follow-up of a selected cross-cutting and/or themed Mediation Action Group (i.e. developing agendas, facilitating website forum dialogues, identifying and selecting cross-cutting and/or themed expert keynote speakers, facilitating cross-cutting and/or themed Mediation Action Plan sessions and events, etc.); securing and/or providing scholarships for registering Non-OECD delegates; securing and/or providing sponsorships (i.e. donating materials, covering venue costs, sponsoring events, etc.) to enhance aspects of the overall Summit and follow-up; and, publicizing the Summit within regionally. Given the dynamic collaborative Summit design, regional to international collaborators will progressively engage as cross-cutting and themed Mediation Action Groups are collectively identified, selected and evolved.

UN Women

UN Women is the United Nations organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their rights worldwide.

UN Women supports United Nations Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality, and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to implement these standards. It stands behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life, focusing on five priority areas: increasing women’s leadership and participation; ending violence against women; engaging women in all aspects of peace and security processes; enhancing women’s economic empowerment; and making gender equality central to national development planning and budgeting. UN Women also coordinates and promotes the United Nations system’s work in advancing gender equality.

The University of New South Wales, Faculty of Law

The Faculty of Law at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, is a leader in legal

education and is both a collaborator and sponsor of the Asia Pacific Mediation Leadership Summit.

In the recent 2011 Good Universities Guide, UNSW was the only Law School in Australia to get top ratings across all criteria including teaching quality, generic skills, overall satisfaction, and success in getting a job.

Lawyers and practitioners from non-legal backgrounds have identified the need to expand their skills and knowledge in the new and ever changing field of professional dispute resolution. Increasing regulation of Alternative Dispute Resolution professionals has highlighted the importance and need for quality postgraduate qualifications. The Faculty of Law at the University of New South Wales has responded to this need by offering comprehensive, academically rigorous programs for those seeking specialist postgraduate qualifications in dispute resolution theory and practice:

Master of Dispute Resolution Graduate Diploma in Dispute Resolution LLM (Dispute Resolution)

For further information visit: www.law.unsw.edu.au

United ADR

United ADR provides international and domestic alternative dispute resolution services. They provide arbitration and mediation, as well as other forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution.

United ADR has a panel of outstanding and able neutrals with diverse backgrounds internationally and within the United States, including retired judges. They possess rich expertise in law, business, politics, the academy and other arenas. Services are available in several languages, including Chinese, English, Farsi, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

They specialize in commercial, international and cross-cultural cases and also handle domestic and other civil matters including attorney-client fee disputes, business, collection, construction, debtor-creditor, employment, environmental, family, IP, landlord-tenant cases, malpractice (legal, medical, other professional), neighborhood, and real estate.

United ADR also provides training, systems design and other consulting services at competitive rates.

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The International Ombudsman Association

The International Ombudsman Association (IOA) was officially formed in July 2005 following the merger of the University and College Ombuds Association (UCOA) and The Ombudsman Association (TOA). IOA is the largest international association of professional organizational Ombudsmen practitioners in the world, representing over 500 members from the United States and across the globe.

Vision Statement: IOA leads the global Organizational Ombudsman profession by setting the standard for excellence in practice and demonstrating the effectiveness of the Organizational Ombudsman role to organizational leaders, policy makers, other professions and associations, and the public.

The mission of the International Ombudsman Association is to support and advance the global Organizational Ombudsman profession and ensure that practitioners work to the highest professional standards by:

Setting standards of practice, regulatory platform and code of ethics for the Organizational Ombudsman profession;

Assisting in the establishment of Organizational Ombudsman offices; Providing excellent professional development resources, research and information; Increasing awareness and understanding of Organizational Ombudsman value among key

stakeholders and the general public; Creating strategic alliances or direct communications with other key organizations and

professionals involved in dispute resolution, governance, ethics and risk mitigation.

Meta-Culture Consulting

Meta-Culture is the first consulting firm in South Asia dedicated exclusively to enhancing relationships and managing conflict. We transform how people think about, talk about, and respond to differences.

Meta-Culture equips corporations, government, and civil society to leverage the opportunities inherent in conflict. We apply the best methodologies in the field of Conflict Resolution to transform

unproductive and destructive debate into a productive exchange of information, ideologies, and ideas. Our aim is to help conflicting stakeholders first understand and respect each other’s perspectives, and then apply their diverse thinking to joint problem solving. The result is better decision-making, more sustainable agreements, and stronger more peaceable communities.

Instead of applying a single strategy to all situations, we use a variety of methodologies, including Situation Assessment, Mediation, Dialogue, and Consensus Building. We believe such a flexible and integrated approach is critical for the resolution of dynamic and changing social issues.

Meta-Culture works with families, communities, NGOs, governments, academic and faith-based institutions, national and multi-national companies, and other local, national, and international organizations. Our international team has advanced degrees in Conflict Resolution and related fields, and vast experience doing this work in India and elsewhere.

Meta-Culture Consulting will collaborate to advance the Cross-Cutting Multi-Culture Dynamics and the Community Mediation Action Group.

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Swisspeace

Swisspeace is a practice-oriented peace research institute and an associate institute of the University of Basel. It carries out research on violent conflicts and their peaceful transformation. Through training, networking and exchange of experiences the Foundation supports Swiss and international organizations to build up their civilian peacebuilding capacities. Thereby, it helps to create informed opinions on Swiss and international peace policy through reports, analyses and conferences. swisspeace promotes knowledge transfer between researchers and practitioners.

swisspeace was founded in 1988 as the Swiss Peace Foundation with the goal of promoting independent peace research in Switzerland. Today swisspeace employs more than 30 permanent staff members. Its most important clients are the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the UN as well as national and international organizations and development agencies.

KOFF - Center for Peacebuilding is one of Swisspeace's projects and it helps its approximately 50 member organizations to develop their peacebuilding capacities. KOFF is a networking platform for state and non-governmental peacebuilding actors, promotes policy dialogue and processes of common learning. In addition to roundtables and workshops devoted to specific countries and topics, KOFF offers consultancy services and training programs tailored to clients' needs.

The Mediation Support Project (MSP) is a joint venture between swisspeace and the Center for Security Studies (CSS, ETH Zurich). The project is funded by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (Political Division IV).The Mediation Support Project (MSP) supports mediators and conflict parties in gaining knowledge and skills for effective peace negotiations.

Summit Sponsors

We would like to sincerely thank the following Collaborators for not only collaborating with their knowledge and expertise, but also aiding to the event through sponsorship. This sponsorship takes various shapes and also helps the Summit to given scholarships to delegates:

Design of the Summit

International, Regional and National Mediation, Other Conlfict Transformation and Peacebuilding Keynote Speakers and Dialogues

Speaking Engagements: Renowned and emerging international, regional and national mediation, other conflict transformation and peace-building leaders’ will be identified in-line with the evolution of Cross-cutting and Mediation Action Group themes. The speakers will provide presentations as well as be engaged and available to provide direct inspiration, vision and advice on practical methods to evolve the identified Cross-cutting and Mediation Action Group themes for implementation in the Asia Pacific region and beyond.

Tea-Coffee, Lunch and Dinner Dialogue Sessions: These leaders will engage directly with Summit Delegates during organized Roundtable Breakfast, Tea-Coffee, Lunch and/or Dinner Dialogue Sessions. These Dialogue Sessions will evolve around Delegates’ expressions of interest, the identified Cross-cutting and Mediation Action Group themes.

Cross-cutting Mediation Themes

Selection of Themes: Cross-cutting Mediation themes (e.g. cross-cultural, gender, human rights, religion, quality assurance, etc.) will be identified and finalized in collaboration with the APMF, Core Collaborators and Delegates prior to the Summit via the interactive website. Selected Cross-cutting Mediation themes will be tailored to the Asia Pacific’s mediation, transformation and peacebuilding

context, developments, interests and needs.

Mainstreaming / Strengthening: Mediation, conflict transformation and peacebuilding experts, derived from the Summit delegation, will be offered the opportunity to co-design and -facilitate identified Crossing-cutting Mediation themed sessions. In close collaboration with themed Mediation Action Group Coordinators, these experts will assist in mainstreaming and/or strengthening the selected Cross-cutting Mediation themes during themed Mediation Action Group round table discussions and action planning processes.

Themed Mediation Action Groups

Identification of Mediation Themes: Mediation themes applicable to the Asia Pacific context (e.g. peace mediation (track 1), community mediation (track 2), environment and climate change mediation, women and mediation, family mediation, health mediation, court annexed mediation, etc.) will be identified and finalized in collaboration with APMF Executive, Core Collaborators and Delegates prior to the event via this interactive Summit website. For information on how to contribute to the theme identification process, please see page: Action Groups and Forums.

Themed Mediation Action Groups: Summit Delegates will be offered the opportunity, based on their personal and professional interests and expertise, to engage in personally selected themed Mediation Action Groups prior (i.e. via the interactive website), during and post-Summit. Expert mediation, conflict transformation and peacebuilding keynote speakers, practitioners, facilitators and recorders will be derived from the Summit delegation and collaborate to assist Delegates in stimulating thought and dialogue, evolving themed Mediation Action Group discussions; advancing strategic and effective Action Plans with a specific purpose and achievable objectives for implementation, etc. Overall, the intended purpose of each themed Mediation Action Plan will be to advance that specific field of mediation, conflict transformation and peacebuilding in an identified country, across the Asia Pacific region, and possibly beyond.

Implementation of the Action Plans: Beyond the Summit, themed Mediation Action Groups may evolve their Action Plans within their individual professions and/or throughout their agencies, associations, institutes, organisations and universities in collaboration with their Mediation Action Group colleagues. Ultimately, with the anticipation of evolving/enhancing mediation, other conflict transformation and peacebuilding processes within a particular country, across the region and possibly beyond.

Action Plan Follow-up: Themed Mediation Action Plans will be monitored, evaluated and enhanced by collaborating Delegates over an agreed timeframe. Delegates may present lessons learned, best case studies, measureable impacts, etc., derived from the implementation of their Plans at the subsequent APMF Mediation Leadership Summit.

Student Engagement and Mentoring Process

Engagement: A limited number of student Delegates who are enrolled in a mediation, conflict transformation or peacebuilding program will have the opportunity to actively engage in the Summit design, development, implementation and follow-up process. These limited engagement opportunities will be in-line with student Delegates’ professional interests, identified knowledge and skills development needs.

Student Mentoring Process: Student Delegates will be voluntarily paired with experienced mediation, conflict transformation or peacebuilding Delegates in a mentoring process. The mentoring process may commence prior to the Summit via the interactive website and progress beyond the Summit (i.e. direct internships, mediation shadowing, case mentoring, etc.). The Summit's Mediation Student Delegate Coordinator will assist in the design, facilitation and support of each mentoring partnership.

Mediation Student Network: Mediation student Delegates will be linked to both an evolving professional Asia Pacific Mediation Network as well as a developing international Mediation Student Network.

Click here for more information on the Mediation Student Engagement and Mentoring Process.

Call for Papers and Resources, Publication of an Edited Book

Call for Papers: Delegates are invited to submit a written paper of up to 2000 words which addresses one of the Cross-cutting and/or themed Mediation Action Groups. Delegates’ papers, with permission, will be posted on the interactive Summit website and/or be provided to all Delegates on a CD during the Summit. The papers are intended to be a useful resource for and contribute to the development and implementation of each of the Cross-cutting and themed Mediation Action Plans.

Publication of an Edited Book: Delegates who submit a paper will have the opportunity to request and progress their paper through a peer review process. Some peer reviewed papers will be selected for inclusion in an edited book that will be published post-Summit. With the authors’ permission, all papers not accepted for inclusion in the edited book will be posted on the APMF website as an important resource for mediators, conflict transformation and peacebuilidng pracitioners and students in the region and beyond. Please make a statement on your paper stating whether you do or do not want your paper to be published on the Summit or APMF websites.

Publication on these sites will not prevent authors from submitting their paper for publication elsewhere.

Call for Resources: Apart from the call for papers we also would like to invite all delegates to share the recources they have - best practice documents, case studies, mediation examples, articles published, newsletters, etc. without copyrights attached - to be shared with all Summit delegates by means of the CD, which will be given to all delegates during the Summit.

Mediation Workshop and Field Trips

Peace Mediation Workshop (Track 1 - Track 2): By popular request, expert Peace Mediation collaborators will engage 25 interested delegates in an intensive three day Peace Mediation Workshop. The Workshop, facilitated between 2-3-4 December, will advance delegates knowledge of Track 1 and means to link Track 2 Peace Mediation Processes, while progressively building practical skills.

'Themed' Mediation Field Trips: By popular request, Summit delegates will have the opportunity to select from a range of ‘themed’ Mediation Field Trips aligned with the ‘themes’ collaboratively identified for the Cross-cutting and Mediation Action Groups. The Field Trips will offer delegates the opportunity to directly explore mediation and other conflict transformation processes in Thailand.

Progressive Mediation Network

To date, the Summit has attracted attention and engagement from a range mediation – conflict transformation leaders and students from an array of countries: Afghanistan, Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, the United States, from across several countries in Africa, Europe and Latin America.

Pre-Summit Networking: Given the interactive website design, Summit delegates have the opportunity to develop their own professional webpages, directly link to other delegates, join and engage in the Cross-cutting and ‘themed’ Mediation Action Group identification, design, and development discussions, etc.

Summit Networking: Delegates will have the opportunity to engage in a range of networking opportunities across the Summit Agenda and Events with mediation - conflict transformation experts,

leaders and students from across Thailand, the Asia Pacific region, and beyond. During the Summit, interested delegates will have the opportunity to contribute to an Mediation Network Action Group that will evolve a post-Summit Mediation Network Action Plan for collaborative implementation.

Post-Summit Networking: Again, given the dynamic Summit website design, Summit delegates will have the opportunity to maintain their own professional mediation – conflict transformation webpage, maintain and develop direct links to other delegates, continue to advance Cross-cutting and ‘themed’ Mediation Action Group discussions, etc. As presented previously, a progressive post-Summit Mediation Network Action Plan will be implemented in collaboration with interested and committed delegates.

APMF Peace Prize

Traditionally, since its inception in 2001, the APMF has awarded a Peace Prize to individuals or organizations who/that have made a significant peace impact in the Asia Pacific region. Continuing this tradition, the APMF Executive and Coordination Committee are pleased to officially open the nominations process to identify individuals or organizations that meet the high standards of the APMF Peace Prize. The Peace Prize will consist of a sum of money to further the recipient’s efforts, regional to international recognition, and media engagement opportunities. Contributions to enhance the Peace Prize will be gratefully received and recognized.