The mediator Alicia Pérez already advanced it in her previously published article about the social mediation as a fundamental basis for citizens when it comes to resolving their conflicts, with special emphasis on preventing situations that may destructure the social and/or family environment. This week we leave you with an interesting article that reflects on the importance of neighborhood mediation and the responsibility of local administrations:
Article written by: Ángel B. Gómez Puerto, jurist specialized in Family Mediation from the University of Córdoba (UCO).
I recently participated in a seminar on the “culture of agreement” in the Sevillian district of Triana, organized by the association that manages the mediation service in this Sevillian neighborhood. This is a novel municipal service, which has been operating as a “pilot” experience since February 2013, and which focuses its activity fundamentally on neighborhood mediation. Actually, I found it very interesting, a good practice to extend.
In the city of Córdoba, little by little the culture of mediation is taking hold, although for now only in professional fields., not neighborhood or social. Thus, last year 2013, almost one hundred professionals from law, psychology or work/social education developed the specialization course in Family Mediation at the University of Córdoba. And a few days ago the Course of Civil and Commercial Mediation that we are studying around ninety jurists from the Córdoba Bar Association.
We must walk the path of agreement, of the peaceful resolution of social or neighborhood conflict.
It is a reality that Conflicts between neighbors and their local administration are becoming more frequent. Issues such as garbage collection, the carrying out of works by the City Council (remember the conflict in the Gamonal neighborhood of Burgos), or the maintenance or improvement of public spaces, usually generate conflicts or problems that must be channeled through dialogue. of mediation, as a democratic method to find solutions between the parties in conflict, the neighborhood and local rulers. Local government should not be exercised as “an order and command” based on absolute majorities, but rather it must walk the path of agreement, of peaceful resolution of social or neighborhood conflict.
In general, we live in a society in conflict that needs many legal norms to regulate it. A classic aphorism said Ubi societas, ibi ius, where there is society there is Law, in short, the intimate relationship between the organization of any society and the existence of rules to regulate/prevent conflict, the problem, between the members of said society, between natural persons or between entities.
In the society in which we have lived, conflict, in its various expressions, is another element of complexity. And obviously, the Law is more present than ever, with its vocation for complete regulation of reality. Of interpersonal relationships, of the relationships between people and the entity to which they belong (the municipality, a neighborhood or social association, the Autonomous Community or the State), or of the relationships between entities. And logically, the importance of Law, of generally accepted normative regulation, becomes more relevant at the time of conflict, of the problem to be resolved.
Our cities must consider the implementation of municipal neighborhood mediation actions
We must also keep in mind that an objective or ultimate goal of every social organization should be the culture of peace. That is to say, the culture of conflict prevention, the culture of dialogue as a way of offering positive solutions to any conflict. According to the UN resolution of October 6, 1999, the culture of peace consists of a series of values, attitudes and behaviors that reject violence and prevent conflicts by trying to attack their causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation. between people, nations, taking into account a very important point that is human rights.
Returning to the local level and applying this conflict resolution methodology, I consider as a proposal that our cities in the next period of local governments 2015-2019 should consider the implementation of municipal neighborhood mediation actions, which involve another way of exercising power, with a hand extended to proposals for solutions to different conflicts on local government issues that may come from citizens, organized or not, neighborhood associations or social or sectoral groups. It represents a commitment from the local level to the culture of agreement, to the culture of peace, which is undoubtedly a more democratic and effective form of local governance.
