ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses aspects of intervention, with special emphasis on constructive contributions by informal or unofficial intermediaries acting in facilitating or mediating roles; with illustrations from the authors own experiences. Mediation refers to intervention in a dispute or negotiation by an acceptable, impartial, and neutral third party to assist contending parties to reach a mutually acceptable settlement or truce. One of the most important qualities of a mediator is neutrality and impartiality. The purpose of neutral intervention is usually to mediate between conflicting parties, to improve communication and to promote a negotiated settlement. The mediator or facilitator must help the parties to identify and to confront the issues in an analytical and rational way. Mediators in real life are often also opinion makers. By reaching out to the public they extend the negotiation process to other levels of society and facilitate the acceptance of agreements. A national mediation service would serve to professionalize their services and make them more efficient.
