3 weeks ago, we showed you Belizean trainers diligently at work imparting the conflict mediation training they received from the US State Department's Conflict and Stabilization Operations.
It's part of Restore Belize's continued effort to provide peaceful advocacy training to members of the different organizations who must mediate in all sectors of society where disputes are expected to occur regularly. Those areas includes the Government departments involved in the second chance programs, at risk youth programs and the rehabilitation centers.
It's now being adapted in the education sector, and in the rural communities. Today, Restore Belize held a small ceremony in honor of the participants who were trained by the Belizean trainers as they complete the course. We found out that these newly trained mediators are passionate about the measurable results they see with mediation and its potential.
According to the Director of Restore Belize it's because the training is based on basic human reasoning and science, and is not just another talk-shop.
Here how she explained it, along with the US Ambassador's comments to the new mediators:
H. E. Vinai Thumalapally - US Ambassador to Belize
"I watched hopefully as small seeds planted and nurtured by CSO and the Restore Belize, grew larger and larger exceeding all expectations, and I know the impact has been - has not been fully realized yet. These programs are long term investments and represent a long term view that will transform the communities. Today represents a milestone."
Mary Vasquez - Director, Restore Belize
"I think that the participants themselves are best able to describe the experiences that they have had. But from the stories that we have been told, and from our own experiences as mediator, the methodology is very straight forward. It's very simple and is very scientific, because it is based on a common understanding of human beings and why human beings engage in conflict in the first place. That is the same for any human being in any conflict, because it is based on such a very fundamental understanding of human beings. It can be used with a variety of different conflicts, and so the experience has been that if you use the practice as it is taught, you will have a very good chance of resolving that specific conflict. As you gain experience, you learn to recognize the underlying interests of the different disputants, because many times we are quarreling about something that appears to be, a particular position that we are attach to, but the real interest we have is something much more fundamental."
The US State Department's involvement in the continued training will diminish to funding, and the Belizean organizations will establish their own mediation training programs, while collaborating with Restore Belize.
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