Funded by the European Union, the Mediation Boards Commission launches national awareness campaign

The Mediation Boards Commission (MBC) of Sri Lanka, together with the Ministry of Justice, launched its national media campaign titled ‘Gini Sisila/Neerum Neruppum’, to create awareness on the mediation programme of Sri Lanka.

The launch event, held at the British Council lawn, was graced by several dignitaries, including Hon. Dr Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Minister of Justice;, Wasantha Perera, Secretary, Ministry of Justice; Priyanath Perera, Secretary, Mediation Boards Commission; Hon. Justice Yapa, Chairperson, Mediation Boards Commission; Commissioners of the Mediation Boards Commission; H.E. Denis Chaibi, the Ambassador of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives; European Union Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives; H.E Sarah Hulton, British High Commissioner; Adrian Chadwick, South Asia Regional Director, British Council; Maarya Rehman, Country Director, British Council Sri Lanka; and Dinesha De Silva, Country Representative, The Asia Foundation.

Gini Sisala | Neerum Neruppum is an ideology that refers to a traditional fire dance where a dancer ‘extinguishes’ fire with his mouth – a metaphor used to iterate the service of using dialogue to solve disputes through community mediation. The launch event signified the beginning of a campaign that is to share 24 real-life and relatable community mediation success stories through press, television, radio and digital platforms. The evening showcased a trailer of the campaign alongside a few selected stories, speeches from dignitaries and live entertainment.

Addressing the audience, Minister of Justice Hon. Dr. Wijeydasa Rajapakshe said “Promoting Mediation as an Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism is one of the top priorities of the Ministry of Justice at the moment. I appreciate the contribution of the European Union towards improving the mediation process in Sri Lanka.”

The main aim of this campaign is to promote the use of Community Mediation Boards among all communities, explaining the interest-based mediation process and approach in Sri Lanka. It also aims to inform more people about the nature and availability of Mediation Services and encourage engagement with Mediation Boards, thereby providing better access to alternative dispute resolution services. It will also help to inform the public about mediation being a more affordable, sustainable and time saving process when compared with litigation.

Speaking at the event, H.E Denis Chaibi, EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives stated that “The EU applauds the launching of the campaign that aims to raise awareness of the mediation services provided throughout Sri Lanka by the Mediation Boards. Mediation is a very efficient and effective means of solving individual conflicts, preventing their escalation, providing satisfaction to the individuals involved and preventing the Justice System from becoming overwhelmed, thus contributing to enhanced access to justice.”

The campaign is run by the Supporting Effective Dispute Resolution (SEDR) project, a four-year access to justice project funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the British Council, in partnership with The Asia Foundation (TAF)). The EUR 7 million project is part of the EU’s overarching STRIDE (Strengthening Transformation, Reconciliation, and Inclusive Democratic Engagement) Programme in Sri Lanka.