A laboratory for mediation and restorative justice was opened in the Faculty of Law at Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University.
The moderator of the meeting, which was attended by Rector Anatolii Tsos, Vice-Rector for Research and International Affairs Larysa Zasiekina, Vice-Rector for Education and Communication Nataliia Blahovirna, and Vice-Rector for Academic and Administrative Affairs Anatolii Fedoniuk, was Dean of the Faculty of Law Anton Demchuk..
The opening of the laboratory was also attended by Deputy Mayor of Lutsk Iryna Chebeliuk, Head of the Department of Social Services for Families, Children and Youth of Lutsk City Council Lina Halan, representatives of the judicial institutions of Lutsk, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology Tamara Duchyminska, and faculty members of the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Pedagogical Education and Social Work.
Rector of the University Anatolii Tsos thanked everyone who had made efforts to set up the laboratory. “We always try to accomplish any task well and the setting up of such a laboratory is a vivid example of good work and an excellent result produced by joint efforts. I say thank you to everyone who participated and participates in this project,” Rector said.
The importance of the laboratory was emphasized by Nataliia Blahovirna and Larysa Zasiekina. They pointed out that functioning of the laboratory for mediation would have a positive influence on the development of science and the education of students.
Deputy Mayor of Lutsk Iryna Chebeliuk said that it was extremely gratifying that Lutsk city’s community was one of the first to introduce mediation services for residents: "We are proud to have launched this project together with you."
According to the Head of the laboratory for mediation and restorative justice Nataliia Karpinska, in Ukraine the institution of mediation has existed for about 20 years. In general, mediation is a very effective means of resolving disputes in other countries. For example, in the US and Europe, this practice is quite common. Today, this is the most popular form of conflict management.
“On November 16, the Law of Ukraine “On Mediation” was adopted. This means that the courts can offer the parties to contact a mediator to resolve disputes. Mediation is mandatory in many countries,” said Nataliia Karpinska.
The mediator added that the opening of such a laboratory on the basis of the Faculty of Law is inseparably connected with the fact that the standard for training masters in speciality 081 Law includes the formation of such a special competence, a skill as the use of mediation to resolve disputes.
“First of all, this laboratory is a platform for teaching mediation, for the formation of this skill. At the same time, in addition to the educational plane, there is a scientific one – legal research. The law has been adopted, and institutional and functional support should be studied and proposals should be made. This is what our scholars, who are interested in this issue, are doing, because the laboratory joins together not only lecturers of the Faculty of Law. And one more dimension is a practical plane. We plan to organize and implement certificate training courses in mediation for concerned parties. First of all, we have a request from social services, because they are the first to face conflicts. And in order to direct the parties to mediation, and not to the court, one needs to understand what mediation is. There is a request, and we plan to work in this area,” said Nataliia Karpinska.
Associate Professor at the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure highlighted that a public organization "Volyn Mediation Center" and the Department of Social Services for Families, Children and Youth of Lutsk City Council took part in the opening of the laboratory.
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