Institute of Conflict Resolution

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7.06.2010  Assoc. Prof. Dr.  Dobrinka  Chankova took  part in  the XXVI Postgraduate  course “Victimology, Victim Assistance  and Criminal  Justice“ 10-22 May 2010 at   Inter-university  Centre- Dubrovnik, Croatia,  and  delivered  a lecture  on Recent    Developments  of Restorative Justice  in Eastern  Europe.

28.03.2010  Assoc. Prof.  Dobrinka  Chankova took  part in the  International  conference “Restorative  justice and  Crime  prevention: actors, places  and  policies”,  held  in  Naples,  Italy, on 25-26  March  2010.

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26.02.2010   A Working  group  of  National  Association of  Mediators  is  developing  amendments  to  the  Mediation  Act. To  be  continued.

4.11.2009 Prof. Dobrinka Chankova took  part  in the  Transnational Forum Good  Practices in Restorative  Juvenile Justice”,  Santiago  de Compostela, Spain,  2-3 November 2009

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2.10.2009  A  working  meeting  with  Spanish  coordinators  of  the  new  project  with ICR  involvment entitled  Restorative  Juvenile  Justice  in the  framework of  the European Union”  was  held  in  Sofia. 

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23.06.2009  The  new Family  Code,  regularizing  mediation in  family  matters,  was   promulgated

in State  Gazette  N 47/ 23 June 2009.

 

16.05.2009  The  project “The School -  a Territory  of  Tolerance”  ended  successfully  with  3  publications. 

 

02.04.2009 The ICR  Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dobrinka  Chankova had a meeting in Tokyo, Japan,  with the Representative Director of Japan Mediation Center Ms Keiko Tanaka and  the  Director  of  the Executive Office Mr.  Nobuaki Andoh. During  the  meeting different issues  of  common interest  have  been  discussed.

Japan-mediacia

 

01.04.2009  The  National Association of  Mediators  organizes  a  conference  “Mediation in  Administrative  Proceedings” to be  held on 3 April 2009 in Sofia.

23.03.2009 The ICR  Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dobrinka  Chankova  took  part  in  the International  Symposium “ Globalized  Penal Populism  and  its  Countermeasures”  held on 21 March 2009  in Kyoto, Japan.

07.03.2009   The  Institute of Conflict  Resolution  is listed on WiserEarth.org, the largest free and editable directory of environmental and social justice organizations in the world. Over 550,000 people -- representing 3.7 million page views -- visit the site each year.

 

See the Institute’s profile:

 

http://www.wiserearth.org/organization/view/d5b7c8a2117c41cc516933ad84acd7ce

5.02.2009 The ICR  Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dobrinka  Chankova had a meeting in Tokyo, Japan,  with the President of CASE, Inc. (Compilation of Art and Science for  Environment) Ms Takako Sinzi  and the  Director  of  the organization  Dr Vladimir Kopenkin.  During  the  meeting different issues  of  common interest  have  been  discussed.

Japan_1                  Japan_2

 

 

17.12.2008  The National Association of Mediators  adopted  an Action  plan for  mediation in  administrative  disputes.

More  details  soon. 

 

27.10.2008   From 24th till 26th October  2008 in the  town  of Pazardjik  the  first module of   training  of  school  staff  on  violence  prevention  in  schools was held. The  training  is  a  part  of  the  project  “ The school - a  territory of  tolerance” implemented  by  the  “Public  Fund” Foundation- Pazardjik   with  the  active  involvement  of  experts  from  the  Institute  of Conflict  Resolution. The  VISTA methodology  was  applied. 

23.10.2008 Assoc. Prof. Dr Dobrinka Chankova- chair  of  the ICR- took part  in  the  first  meeting  of  the  Management Committee of  the project “Cyberbullying: coping with negative and enhancing positive uses of new technologies, in relationships in educational settings” in the  framework  of COST  Programme  of  the EU. The meeting  was held  in  Brussels  and  started 4-year project for  exchange  of  information  and good  practices of  coping  with Cyberbullying.

 19.10.2008. The last training of mediators ended with great success.

 

01.10. 2008  On the 25 and 26 of September 2008 in the town of Bourgas the  “Days of Mediation” took  place. The purpose of the initiative was to  promote  this new  extremely efficient   method for alternative dispute resolution. In the schedule of  the  forum Bulgarian-German conference, professional meetings and discussions,  information campaign and promotional mediation services were included.

The “Days of Mediation” in Bourgas were organized by the National Association of Mediators in collaboration with the Institute for Conflict Resolution, the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation, the Union  of the Jurists in Bulgaria – the section of Bourgas, the Regional Advisory Centre for Mediation – Bourgas, with the kind cooperation of Municipality of Bourgas,  and were a  part of the campaign for the implementation of mediation in compliance with  the instruments  of the European Union, the Council of Europe  and the UN.

During the “Days of Mediation” in Bourgas representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the Judiciary, the Bar Association, non-governmental organizations, practicing mediators, scientists from all over the country and abroad took part. The participants were cordially welcome by the Mayor of Bourgas Mr.Dimitar Nikolov, the regional governor Mr. Lyubomir Panteleev, the MP  of  the  European Parliament Mrs. Rumyana Jeleva and Mr. Valery Parvanov – Vice-General Prosecutor. A special guest to the forum was Associate Professor Dr Gabriela Belova – Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Law and History of  SWU “N. Rilski” – one of the first faculties in the country that had introduced the study of the discipline Alternative Dispute Resolution. Associate Professor Belova encouraged further efforts for the implementation of mediation. Mr. Yossif Geron – President of NAM – made an extensive review of the actual state of affairs of mediation in Bulgaria. Associate Professor Dr Dobrinka Chankova – Chair of the  ICR and Vice - President of the National Association of Mediators, introduced the concept and the draft law  for introduction  of mediation in criminal matters, developed by a  working group affiliated to the  NAM, and submitted to the Ministry of Justice. There were also held other specialized reports. A movie on  mediation skills was presented. The centers for mediation in the country informed the  participants about  their activities. Mr. George Bakalov-  Vice-Chair  of   the ICR - informed all those present about the various activities of the Institute. The German legal regulation and good practices of mediation in criminal matters were presented by Mr. Gerd Delattre – Leader of TOA – Servicebureau, Cologne, Germany and Mrs.Astrid Achtenberg, Legal Assistance for Youngsters, Miesbach, Germany.

During the forum the first honorary badges of the National Association of Mediators were handed. Badges  have been awarded to: Prof. Dr.Margarita Chinova, a honorary  fellow  of  the ICR, for her contribution to the implementation of mediation in Bulgaria; Mr. Zhivko Panayotov – Director of the Regional Advisory Centre for Mediation – Bourgas and a member of the ICR – for his active mediator’s work and his efforts for the development of mediation in the region of Bourgas, and to the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation – for their support for promotion of mediation in Bulgaria.

The event was well attended and largely  covered by  the local and central televisions, Internet and  the local and central press.

 

See  our Photo gallery

 

 

22.09.2008   A special  issue  of  Legal Tribune Journal (N 1, 2008) with  the  proceedings  of the  Workshop  and  Round  table  discussion on  Mediation in  Penal  Matters (December 2007) was published.

 

 

2.06. 2008 DIRECTIVE 2008/52/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 21 May 2008 on certain aspects of mediation in civil and commercial matters  has been published in  the Official  Journal of the  European Union. See  the  full text.

 

27.05.2008  The  findings  of  the  ICR  survey about    the  applicability of  VOM  according  to  the  victims  were  published  in  Society  and  Law Journal, 2008,  vol.5.

25.05.2008  The  latest Mediators  training was a great  success.

 

22.05.2008  Bulgarian-German Mediation Conference  was held   in  Sofia on  20-21 May 2008. /See details in Conferences section/

 

22.04. 2008  At the  General Meeting  of  the  National  Association of Mediators  George Bakalov -   deputy  chair  of  the  ICR was elected a  member  of  the  Ethical Commission,  and  Dobrinka  Chankova -  a deputy  chair  of  the NAM.

17-19. 04. 2008  The  Fifth European Forum for Restorative Justice Conference “Building     Restorative  Justice  in Europe” took  place in  Verona,  Italy. Dobrinka  Chankova participated  with a  paper “Teaching  Restorative  Justice in the Universities and  Beyond”.

16.04. 2008   The  ICR  Chair  Assoc.  Prof. Dr Dobrinka Chankova has been  awarded  the  Badge of Honor of the  Union of Bulgarian  Jurists  for high professional  achievements..

5.03.2008  The  first  transnational  meeting of TIN  project was held   in  Sofia on 3rd  and  4th   March 2008. /See details in Projects section/

 

11.02.2008 Mediators  training,  organized in  collaboration  with  The Union  of  Bulgarian  Jurists,  was a great  success.

 

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1.02.2008  In  February issue 2008 of  Legal  World journal information  about  the  outcomes of the Workshop and the Round  table discussion on perspectives of  mediation in penal  matters,  held in  Sofia  on  13-14 December 2007,  was published.

See  the  full  text  of the  article. 1 &  2

 

7.01. 2008 In  Law and Society  Journal, No 10 2007, the  findings of ICR survey  on the  applicability  of mediation  in  penal  matters  according  to the offenders were  published.

 

20.12.2007  The Workshop and  the Round  table discussion on perspectives of  mediation in penal  matters  held in  Sofia  on  13-14 December 2007  were a  great success! /See details in Conferences section/

 

25.11.2007 Workshop and Round  table discussion on perspectives of  mediation in penal  matters,  Sofia, 13-14 December 2007

The events  are being organized by  the National Association  of Mediators, jointly with  TAIEX Office of  the European Commission,  the Union of Bulgarian Jurists and the Institute of  Conflict Resolution  and are a part  of  the campaign for restorative justice and victim-offender  mediation promotion.

See  the Agenda

22.11. 2007  The  Institute of Conflict  Resolution  celebrated  the International  Restorative Justice Week (18-25 November)  with a  lecture in   the  Institute of Postgraduate studies - Sofia.

 

5.11.2007 Announcement  for Training  of  Mediators

For  more details call +359 2 9758032 or send  e-mail to icr@icr-bg.org

25.10.2007 The Institute of  Conflict Resolution is approved  by  the  Ministry of  Justice to  train  mediators!!!

 

24.10.2007   Assoc. Prof. Dr. D. Chankova- chair  of  ICR made presentation about  COST Action A21 at the National  COST Conference in the city  of Bansko.

18.10.2007 The  Institute of Conflict  Resolution  celebrated  the International Conflict Resolution Day  with a  lecture in the  Institute of Postgraduate studies - Sofia.

 

05.10.2007 The  5th European Forum for  Restorative Justice Conference “Building Restorative  Justice in Europe”  will take  place  in Verona, Italy,  from 17  till 19  April 2008. For  more  details  see http://www.euforumrj.org/Activities/conferences.htm

20.09.2007 The  Institute of Conflict  Resolution  took  part  in  a  public discussion  about   the Action  Plan  for  implementation  of  the  European Commission recommendations (Benchmarks)

08.08. 2007 The  Institute of Conflict  Resolution  has launched  a  survey about  applicability  of Victim-Offender  Mediation among  interested  groups.

20.07.2007   The  new Civil  Procedure  Code  where  mediation finds its  due  place was promulgated.

25.06.2007 The  Institute of Conflict  Resolution  representatives took  part  in  mediation training in Varna.

Varna

 

18.06.2007 The  National Association  of  Mediators in  Bulgaria, whose  co-founder  is the Institute of Conflict  Resolution, adopted a  Strategy  and launched  a campaign   for  introducing  of    mediation in  penal matters in  Bulgarian justice  system.

 

24.05. 2007 The  ICR  Chair Assoc.Prof. Dr.  Dobrinka Chankova took part  in the  conference “Young  People in Eastern Europe and Central Asia:  From Policy  to Action”, organized in Rome, Italy,  by the World Bank. The  results of VISTA Project  have been  presented.

 

 

27.03.2007. A  new  soft law act on  the  application  of  Mediation Act has  been  issued  by the  Ministry of  Justice.

More  soon!

 

14.12.2006  During  the  seminar “Restorative Justice and Victim-Offender Mediation in Europe: Overcoming  Obstacles  and  Strengthening of  Networking”, held in Helsinki  on 11  and 12 December 2006 under the  auspices  of Finnish Presidency of  the EU, Assoc. Prof. Dr.  D. Chankova proposed  the  next  year  or decade  to  be proclaimed  as Restorative Justice Year  or  Decade,  according to  the  UN  practice,  in  order  to accelerate RJ  developments in  compliance  with the UN, EU  and Council  of  Europe instruments. The  proposal  was very well  received  and  relevant  measures  for its   accomplishment were  undertaken.

 

27. 11.2006 Final COST Action A21 Conference  “Restorative  Justice Research  in  Europe: Outcomes  and  Challenges ”, 22-24 November 2006, Warsaw,  was held with  a  great  success  and  active  Bulgarian  involvement.

 

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In front of  the  Academy  of  Management- the  conference  venue

 

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Fragments of  the Seminar  Program

 

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At the end  of  the  conference

 

 

14.11.2006  Long-waited Handbook of Restorative Justice, ed. by  G. Johnstone   and D.Van Ness, with a  contribution of  Prof. Dobrinka Chankova,   has been  published by  Willan Publishing. 

 

24.10.2006  Amendments  to  Mediation Act  have been promulgated. See the  whole  text.

 

5.10.2006  Final Conference  in  the  frameworks of  COST  Action  A21 “Restorative  justice developments  in  Europe  will  take  place from 22 till 24 November 2006  in Warsaw. See the  conference  announcement!

 

30.09.2006  VISTA Project  ended. The  Manual  developed  was translated  into  Bulgarian.  More information soon.

 

21.06.2006   New  Recommendation  /2006/ 8 of the  Committee of  Ministers of the Council of Europe   on assistance to  crime victims  promotes victim-offender  mediation.

See the  text.

 

5-7.06. 2006  In  Cumberland  Lodge, UK, the  final  meeting  in  the  frameworks  of VISTA Project  took place.

 

10.04.2006  The  Institute of Conflict  Resolution  launched a promotion  of mediation  as  a    dispute  resolution method  in 153rd Secondary  School “N. Rilski” in  Sofia. The  mediation  procedure  was demonstrated.  The promotion is  a part of Mediation Days in Sofia, 27 March- 14 April 2006. 

A moment of demonstration

 

03.04.2006  The   Institute of Conflict  Resolution,  jointly  with New Bulgarian University- Sofia,  organized  a   workshop on Mediation as  a  new opportunity  for  students.  The workshop is  a part of Mediation Days in Sofia, 27 March-14 April 2006. 

George  Bakalov - one  of  the main  presenters

 

Workshop panelists and  the chair Prof. Rumen Vladimirov

 

Workshop participants

 

Students’ demonstration  of  mediation procedure

 

27.03.2006 Mediation Days in  Sofia were opened. See Mediation Days Program

 

 

1-5.03.2006  ICR members  Emilia Staninska, Grigor Vladimirov and Dobrinka Chankova took  part  in the COST A21 meetings and workshop in Tel Aviv, Israel.

A working  moment

 

In  Jerusalem

 

19.02.2006 On  the  occasion  of  Mediation  Days in Sofia the  Institute  of  Conflict  Resolution  announces  a  student’s  essay  competition  on  the  theme: Mediation- new  culture  for  conflict  resolution. The  essays  should be sent  to  the  Institute’s  address icr@icr-bg.org. The  winners will  be  announced  in April 2006.

 

8-10.02.2006  The  regular  working  meeting in the  framework of VISTA Project took place in  the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. From  the  Bulgarian side   the participants  were  Assoc.  Prof. Dr. Dobrinka Chankova  and  Tanya  Poshtova.

 

 

14.01. 2006  AGIS Project Final  Report Conclusions  and Recommendations were  sent to  the  Ministry  of  Justice.

09.01.2006  Dobrinka Chankova-  Chair  of the  Institute and Georgi  Bakalov -  Program Director took part in  the Radio  New  Europe Broadcast ‘Open  Trial’.  They informed  the audience about recent developments of  mediation theory,  legislation and practice.

19.12.2005  Institute of Conflict Resolution joined Commercial Law Reform Program’s initiative  to  organize  Mediation Days in Sofia.  More information soon.

09.11.2005  Dobrinka  Chankova took  part  in the  pilot  training of  school  teachers  and  staff in the  framework of VISTA project in Stavanger,  Norway.

07.10 2005    National Association of Mediators as an umbrella organization of  all Bulgarian  NGOs  working  in  mediation  field   was established in  Sofia. The Institute  of  Conflict Resolution  is  one  of the  founders.  Dobrinka Chankova was elected as  a  Board member.

 

29.09-01.10.2005  Final  AGIS  Seminar was held  in Sofia with  great  success. Deputy-Minister Sabrie  Sapundjieva opened  the seminar. More than 60  participants  from 20  European countries took part  in the  seminar.

12.09.2005  An  article  with results of the survey  on  applicability  of  victim-offender  mediation  in  Bulgaria was published  in daily newspaper “Trud”.

02.09.2005  The  results of the survey  on  applicability  of  victim-offender  mediation  in  Bulgaria   together  with proposals de lege  ferenda were  sent to the  Parliament  and  to the  Minister  of  Justice.

10.07.2005 A  survey  on applicability  of  victim-offender  mediation  in  Bulgaria  was  launched,  jointly with New  Bulgarian University  and  South West  University-Blagoevgrad. The  opinion of  100  magistrates,  public  prosecutors, investigating  magistrates  and  lawyers  from Sofia,  Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad  and Varna  will  be explored..  

17.06.2005 The Training Standards for Mediators, Procedural and Ethical Rules  of Conduct for  Mediators  and Rules Pertaining to  the Unified Register of  Mediators have been  endorsed  by  the  Minister of  Justice.

03-05.03.2005 VISTA meeting took part in Sofia Park-Hotel Vitosha.

17.12.2004 Mediation Act was promulgated in State  Gazette!

02.12.2004 Mediation Act was adopted by  the  Parliament.

 

VIVAT MEDIATIO!!!

 

Phone/Fax: ++359 2 9758032

            e-mail: icr@icr-bg.org