Mediation – Dialogue instead of Dispute
16th October 2012, Únětice
In the first October week, the conference named Mediation – An Important Tool on the Way to Balanced Development of an Airport and Its Surroundings took place. The event was organized by the Prague Airport Region association (PAR), which promotes the interests of municipalities in the surroundings of the Prague Airport. The conference was supported by the Ministry of the Environment and Central Bohemian Region. The participants included mayors of neighbouring municipalities, representatives of civic societies, the airport itself, Regional Council of Central Bohemia, Ministry of Transportation and Capital of Prague as well as representatives of European airport regions, among others from Vienna, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.
In this respect, let us remind that in May, the Czech Parliament passed the new Mediation Act, by which the Czech Republic joined (with a little delay) the countries having, in accordance with the European Commission’s directives, effective legislation for the area of mediation.
The conference hosted 60 participants including experts in planning, transport, environment (e. g. from the Regional Council, Václav Havel Airport, Prague 6-Suchdol, ARC etc.) and mayors of municipalities located within the region. The leading lecturer, Dr. Paul Gibson (Australian mediator, member of the National Council for Mediation, Australia) shared his experience and practical knowledge in the area of mediation, which represents a common form of out-of-court resolution of disputes abroad. During the lecture and concluding workshop (simulation of mediation negotiation), Dr. Gibson was effectively assisted by the Belgian lawyer and mediator with European certification, Bie Heyninck, who has lived and worked in the Czech Republic for a long time now. JUDr. Tomáš Horáček, Ph.D. (vice-dean and assistant professor at the Law Faculty of the Charles University; arbitrator at the permanent Arbitration Court of the Economic Chamber of the Czech Republic and Czech Bar Association; member of Mediator Association of Slovakia and Scientific Committee of ESI; he also took part in the preparation of the Mediation Act) then discussed thoroughly practical aspects of mediation in domestic conditions.
The conference participants were provided with a book dealing with mediation, which had been published by the PAR association in cooperation with the partners supporting the conference. The book summarizes general information on mediation and its incorporation in the legislation of the Czech Republic as well as on foreign experience in its practical application.
The afternoon programme included presentations by active mediators from Frankfurt, Vienna and Amsterdam regions. They described and summarized mediation processes in their respective regions and answered numerous questions from the audience regarding individual stages of negotiation, ways of selection of mediators, financial covering of mediation processes as well as other topics. Results of mediation agreements and the extent of adherence to them drew great attention of the audience.
“The attention attracted by the topic of mediation surpassed our expectations. Most of the domestic participants seem to have realized that it is mediation which can help move some long term disputes forward; I also believe that it will contribute to achieving acceptable solutions during the development of transport infrastructure as well as enhancement of quality of life of most people living in the municipalities aggrieved by the airport operation,” said Ing. Vladimír Vytiska, the promoter of the conference and member of the PAR association. Within the project of promotion of mediation methods, seminaries and workshops focused on practical application of mediation will be held. The first of them will take place before the end of this year.