On 13 May 2026, the Center for Mediation Support of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation held a public symposium commemorating its establishment, titled "Peace Mediation in an Age of Conflict: Comparative Experiences from Oman, Switzerland, Türkiye, and Private Institutions.”
In recent years, the number of conflicts around the world has increased, as seen in Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, and elsewhere. Resolving these conflicts requires trust-building through dialogue rather than the use of force. Against this backdrop, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation established the Center for Mediation Support on 1 April 2026 to contribute to peace mediation and mediation support through approaches uniquely suited to Japan.
A number of countries have already made peace mediation a central component of their foreign policy and have played active roles in major peace processes. In particular, Oman, Switzerland, and Türkiye have each made important contributions to efforts such as the U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, the Mindanao peace process in the southern Philippines, and negotiations related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In addition, several non-governmental organizations have played a significant role in facilitating dialogue and mediation between parties to conflict. Among the most prominent are the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) and Conciliation Resources (CR).
The Center for Mediation Support invited one representative each from Oman, Switzerland, Türkiye, HD, and CR to participate in this public symposium. The panelists discussed the concept and practice of peace mediation, their respective countries’ experiences and approaches, the role of NGOs, and the division of responsibilities between governments and non-governmental actors.
To share the insights and outcomes of this symposium with a wider audience, we are pleased to make the video recording available online.
<Overview>
Date: at 17:30-19:00 on Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Modality: Hybrid
Title: "Peace Mediation in an Age of Conflict: Comparative Experiences from Oman, Switzerland, Türkiye, and Private Institutions"
Language: English/Japanese with simultaneous interpretation
Hosted by the Center for Mediation Support, Sasakawa Peace Foundation
<Panaliest>
- Humaid bin Ali Al Maani, Head of Diplomatic Academy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oman
- Tim Enderlin, Head of the Peace and Human Rights Division, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland
- Alp Ay, Director General of International Mediation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Türkiye
- Katia Papagianni, Director, Mediation Support and Policy, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue
- Jonathan Cohen, Executive Director, Conciliation Resources
- Akiko Horiba, Director, Center for Mediation Support, Sasakawa Peace Foundation (MC, moderator)