Court as a Space for Dialogue: Working Meetings in Odesa

On August 15, productive working meetings took place between the President of the Ukrainian Academy of Mediation and a representative of the Ombudsman’s Office of Ukraine directly in the mediation rooms of pilot courts — the Odesa District Administrative Court and the Prymorskyi District Court of Odesa.

The meetings aimed to discuss the role of mediation in ensuring access to justice, its development prospects in civil and administrative jurisdictions, and the opportunities for broader promotion of this institution among citizens.

Participants included:

• Andrii Ovsiienko — Representative of the Ombudsman for the Right to a Fair Trial and Representation in the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (Ombudsman’s Office of Ukraine);
• Luiza Romanadze — President of the Ukrainian Academy of Mediation;
• judge-mediators and representatives of the judicial administration.

Special attention was given to:

• the prospects for developing mediation in administrative and civil courts;
• adapting Ukrainian and international practices;
• raising citizens’ awareness of mediation opportunities;
• tools for improving court efficiency through mediation.

The mediation rooms functioning in Odesa courts have become a symbol that a court is not only a place for decisions but also a space for dialogue. Mediation helps reduce the workload of judges and, more importantly, gives parties a chance to resolve disputes faster, more easily, and with fewer emotional costs.

The Ukrainian Academy of Mediation welcomes the courts’ readiness for new approaches that promote peace and the development of alternative dispute resolution, and will continue to support partnerships to foster a modern culture of dialogue in Ukraine.