6th Asia Pacific Mediation Forum Summit Held at DLSU; SDRC Serves as Secretariat
 De La Salle University through the College of Liberal Arts was the lead convener in this year’s Asia Pacific Mediation Forum Summit, with the Philippines as the host country, from December 9 to 11, 2013 at the Henry Sy, Sr. Hall. The DLSU Social Development Research Center was selected to serve as Secretariat of the Summit.
This year’s Summit sought to bring together and engage experienced conflict resolution and mediation practitioners, researchers, educators, trainers, civil society workers/practitioners, human rights activists, jurists, businessmen, and policy makers from different cultural, organizational and professional backgrounds who are culturally fluent, creative and innovative, want to contribute and build on their knowledge and expertise, and are prepared to play a leadership role in transforming the manner in which conflicts are handled in the Asia-Pacific region. The program of the 2013 APMF Summit was highlighted by a keynote speech delivered by retired Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr. during the opening ceremonies. Panel sessions were held on mediation in the light of its tools/strategies and the law (court annexed mediation); labor and global public issues; human rights, multi-culturalism, religious tolerance and inter-faith dialogue; and peace-building and dispute/conflict resolution. During the APMF general assembly meeting that concluded the Summit, Justice Ambeng Kandakasi of Papua New Guinea was elected the Forum’s new Vice President, Tony O’Gorman of Australia and Lokendra Arambam were elected to share duties as the Forum’s Treasurer, and Antonia Yeung was elected the new APMF Secretary. Dale Bagshaw continues to serve as the Forum’s President. A total of 57 participants from Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Manipur India, Indonesia, Thailand, Fiji, Guam, Germany, Denmark, Austria, the United States, Australia, and the Philippines attended this year’s Summit. Its objective is to facilitate the exchange and development of knowledge, values and skills of mediation in any form, including inter-cultural, interpersonal, inter-institutional and international, within and between the diverse countries and cultures in the Asia Pacific region. These exchanges are conducted through bi-annual conferences held in the Asia-Pacific region, with a different country chosen to host each conference.
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