ABOUT THE SOCIETY
WHO WE ARE
We are a group of mediation professionals working under the umbrella of a not-for-profit organisation (Reg. No. TCR/TC/370/2025) registered in Kerala, India, under the Travancore–Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955.
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Our vision is to inspire a culture where people turn to mediation to resolve conflicts—early and effectively. We believe that embedding mediation across communities and organisations strengthens access to justice and builds a more collaborative society.
OUR STORY SO FAR
The story of The Mediation Society began well before its formal registration.
Our work traces back to Settle 2021, a month-long, statewide mediation-promotion campaign organised between March and June 2021. Settle 2021 brought together more than thirty independent events, including four international panel discussions, two workshops, and mediation-awareness sessions for over twenty organisations across Kerala. Conceived by a small group of mediation enthusiasts and jointly organised by MKMS and the Co-operative School of Law, with support from Mahatma Gandhi University, the Kerala State Mediation and Conciliation Centre, the Bar Council of Kerala, and the Confederation of Indian Industry, Settle 2021 became the largest and longest online mediation series in Kerala’s legal history. At a time when mediation was only beginning to gain wider attention, it introduced students, professionals, and institutions across the State to the idea and practice of mediation.
Following the enactment of the Mediation Act, 2023, we continued our efforts under the banner of the Centre for ADR Practice & Research. During this phase, our focus was on creating simple, accessible mediation-awareness resources—short video explainers on the new law, online and offline lectures across law schools and bar associations, and public discussions aimed at helping diverse audiences understand the emerging legal framework. This phase helped broaden public conversation around mediation and laid the groundwork for deeper engagement with both the law and the practice.
In 2024, our work expanded into a broader statewide initiative titled Project M for Mediation (Project M). Conceived as a celebration of mediation, Project M sought to bring mediation into mainstream public discourse through creative and participatory initiatives.
We launched the All India M for Mediation Video Podcast Contest, encouraging students to engage with the Mediation Act 2023 through audio-visual storytelling. We organised Conversations on the Practice of Mediation in collaboration with Government Law College, Ernakulam, where practising professionals shared insights from real-world mediation practice. In partnership with NUALS, we conducted the All Kerala M for Mediation Quiz Competition, sparking academic curiosity and healthy competition among law students across the State. Together, these initiatives demonstrated that mediation could be understood not merely as a legal mechanism, but as a cultural practice and a public good.
As these initiatives grew, so did the community around them. We recognised the need for an institutional structure that was inclusive, democratic, and sustainable—one that could bring together mediation enthusiasts, educators, students, lawyers, and other professionals around a shared purpose. This realisation led to the formal establishment of The Mediation Society in October 2025. The Society brings together and builds upon the work undertaken through Settle 2021, the Centre for ADR Practice & Research, and Project M for Mediation. What began as a series of independent initiatives has now taken shape as a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to fostering a culture in Kerala where mediation is seen as a natural, trusted, and accessible means of resolving conflicts.
Our journey continues—with new partnerships, evolving programmes, and a growing community committed to strengthening both the practice and the culture of mediation in Kerala.
WHAT WE DO
To build an ecosystem where mediation could thrive, we focus on three core areas: meaningful public engagement, sustained professional development, and accessible mediation services.​​
01 Public Engagement
We aim to expand awareness, strengthen trust, and encourage voluntary use of mediation as a credible and accessible pathway to dispute resolution. These objectives are advanced through three complementary streams:
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# Public Awareness Programmes – carefully designed learning experiences for the general public that introduce mediation in context-relevant ways. # Gatekeeper Sensitisation Initiatives – engagements with individuals who influence dispute-resolution choices, including community leaders.​ # Organisational Engagement – targeted outreach to commercial organisations to position mediation as an appropriate mechanism for resolving their commercial and organisational disputes.
02 Professional Development
We aim to develop and sustain professional competence in mediation through structured training, supervised practice, and continuing education. For that, we operate a training and progression model consisting of:
# The Mediation Masterclass – a 100-hour programme delivered across three progressive stages, designed to provide theoretical grounding, practical skills, and professional orientation for mediation practice. # The Mediation Practice Readiness Pathway – a supervision-based progression route through which trained mediators transition into independent practice. # The Mediation Conversations – a platform that sustains the intellectual engagement of the mediation community through regular dialogue, peer learning, and exposure to diverse perspectives.
03 Mediation Practice
We deliver mediation as a professionally managed dispute-resolution service through our Mediation GRID—a network of mediation hubs across Kerala.
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The GRID, amongst others, provides secure infrastructure; a case-management framework; clearly articulated rules, protocols, and codes of conduct; panels of mediators and support professionals; and neutral referrals to other dispute-resolution processes.
OUR VALUES
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Integrity & Impartiality
We uphold fairness, neutrality, and ethical conduct in all our programmes, partnerships, and interactions.
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Community Partnership
We work with local communities and institutions to build sustainable ecosystems where conflicts are resolved effectively.
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Accessibility
We strive to make mediation understandable, approachable, and reachable for all individuals and communities.
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Collaborative
Efforts
We believe in collective effort and build meaningful partnerships across the legal, academic, civic, and community ecosystem.
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Professional Excellence
We are committed to high standards in training, learning, practice, and the development of mediation culture in Kerala.
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Democratic Governance
We are an internally democratic, where all members are equal and decisions are participatory and transparent.
HOW WE WORK
We work through five Operational Divisions. Each Division has a clear role, but all work together to strengthen mediation as a practical and credible way of resolving disputes.
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01. Public Engagement Division (PED): PED works to build public confidence in mediation. Through Mediation 360, PED introduces mediation to the wider community and encourages people to see it as a sensible first option when disputes arise. This includes public learning programmes, engagement with community and institutional leaders who influence dispute decisions, and outreach to organisations and professional bodies that may benefit from using mediation.
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02. Professional Development Division (PDD): PDD focuses on developing competent mediation professionals. The training ecosystem includes the Mediation Masterclass, supervised practice through the Mediation Practice Readiness Pathway, and regular conversations that support continued learning. The aim is simple: develop mediators who are well-prepared, practice-ready, and professionally grounded.
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03. Mediation Practice Division (MPD): MPD provides mediation as a structured and professionally managed service through Mediation GRID, a network of mini-mediation hubs designed to make mediation accessible across Kerala. Cases are handled through a clear case-management process with uniform standards on confidentiality, neutrality, and fairness. MPD also maintains transparent mediator empanelment and appointment systems.
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04. Knowledge & Communications Division (KCD): KCD maintains the Society’s knowledge base and public communication platforms. Through the Knowledge Repository and communication channels, KCD tracks developments in mediation law and practice, preserves institutional learning, and shares information responsibly. The Knowledge Management Protocol guides how information is collected, organised, and communicated.
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05. Institutional Affairs Division (IAD): IAD oversees the governance and long-term stability of the Society. This includes membership and leadership processes, institutional partnerships, legal and financial compliance, and the maintenance of quality, ethics, and professional standards across all activities.