The community feeling became visible.

There was the idea of something we could achieve in common. Therefore this annual meeting was a good opportunity to conclude the next steps of development.

IM is concentrating

It was initially a surprise to us all, as Iris Berger announced, not to continue her membership of the board. Her decision was based ob the workload solely. The board right now is engaged very much by the EU project EuroNetMed. Iris Berger suggested Brigitte Komescher to be her successor. Brigitte Komescher is actively involved in that EU project very much. Because of that she is close to the board’s decision making and already involved in that. The General Assembly has unanimously endorsed this decision.

This decision helps Iris Berger to take care more intensely about the issues of education and training.

IM is caring

In order to cover all the tasks duties and responsibilities, the board needs to expand. This is not a new idea. But now the time has come to realize it. Thus the board will be expanded in a second step. This is not only seen to be a step in a more precise division of labor, but also a measure to strengthen the contact with our members. The new board to be will be divided into divisions. Since its formal extension requires an amendment, this happens in a further step. It will be built on actions not on planning. The departments which have been established in our annual meeting will have to prove themselves in practical work.

IM is structuring

All these considerations have been accepted by the members uniquely. They therefore have supported the plans and they elected Iris Berger to become a director of the Education Advisory Council. Even this council was established in one and the same act. The Education Advisory Council will be a committee deciding about accreditation and certification issues in future. The authority is limited to national institutes. The accreditation and certification of institutes and members abroad will stay with the board solely. The Education Committee is networked with other departments having the development of standards and compliance in mind.

Furthermore, the members have elected Sebastian Fillkorn to become the Regional Group Coordinator. The Regional Group Coordinator will take care of the regional groups. The regional groups are seen a permanent point of contact and to support the local presence.

Finally, Klaus Gerosa became a staff (communication both internally and externally). He will deal with the restructuring of the organization and help to expand the capacity and range of integrated mediation. For us, it is important to maintain a good and permanent contact with our members. This was out of view sometimes due to the workload. This will change now.

IM is combining

There are also plans to better incorporate the presidents of the foreign associations of Integrated Mediation. This ensures our Latvian colleagues for example to apply a seat on the Education Advisory Board, which is perceived by Ieva Sproge. The Swiss representation will perceive Rene Huber. Also planned is the expansion of the board for international affairs, where the presidents will be included in some kind of an external board which will be founded soon. The idea behind is to adjust decisions which will have an international concern.

IM is identifying

We could feel the passion that connect the members with the idea of ​​integrated mediation. Integrated Mediation is to be defined now clarly in a way everybody understands though some words or a formula. This is to express our USP. Everyone has an idea about Integrated Mediation. We have to adjust those ideas and to find the common understanding. To live Mediation! That is our motto. What does this mean and how that is, now is the task of working out.

January Heidenreich will set up a wiki in which all members are invited to mention their ideas and to discuss this question. The Wiki will soon be available on the intranet.

IM is regulating

Mediation means to make decisions by consensus. Thus regulating is not our primary concern. However standards are necessary to unify the community and to define common goals and ways to get there. The challenge to consent the standards came up when single members started to argue. Unfortunately and due to time constraints we couldn’t consent all the detailed contributions other than to vote about. This might become dfifferent in future. It is the mean of Integrated Mediation to live mediation everywhere also in politics.

However the new standards were adopted. We are aware that these standards are work in progress. They have to prove themselves and to be adjusted to the standards given or taken by the associations abroad. These queries affects not only the content queries but also their organizational implementation. For us, it is important to realize that the philosophy of integrated mediation will become visible through our ruling. Therefore, the standards themselves are in the need of constant control and monitoring. The process of monitoring and evaluating the standards is associated with the identification of integrated mediation.

For us, those regulations are not seen an instrument of power. They are the consensus we want to maintain among the members. Consensus is the idea of ​​mediation. We trust that this idea is to be lived in larger organizations. Members are asked to express an opinion critical of the standards and help us to rediscover the identity of the integrated mediation there.

IM is informing

It has been shown that members are prepared to support the idea of ​​integrated active mediation. Rarely there has been such a great willingness of members to take responsibility and provide active cooperation. Therefore, we easily could set up new intellectual arenas as following:

Gerhard Hechler is the head of the issue mediation and the church.
Frank Jansen will be the head of the issue bullying
Anja Loosen will care the subject of mediation in systems.

IM is showing up

Who wants to have a visual impression of the event, which may see the photo gallery on Picasa. As always, the best photos were shot by Hubert Merkel.

Photo gallery