EVENT
Insider mediators in a new era
How to navigate local dynamics in a politicised world
Join our event to explore the crucial role of locally embedded mediation and how insider mediators can be better supported in today’s evolving geopolitical context.
Rising political divisions and an increasingly multipolar world are reshaping the mediation landscape. Peacemaking efforts are becoming more top-down, focusing on political elites and prioritising short-term security concerns.
As formal mediation processes become more politicised, fragmented, and externally driven, insider mediators are gaining relevance as credible actors who can sustain dialogue beyond elite bargains and maintain communication where official processes lack access or legitimacy.
Yet, in this context, their role is under increasing pressure, heightening security and psychosocial risks, and constraining their space for engagement.
How does this “new era” affect the work of insider mediators – trusted mediators embedded in their communities – in different parts of the world? How does the growing politicisation of mediation processes affect their legitimacy, agency, and space for engagement across different contexts?
In this event, insider mediators from Belarus, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Yemen will share frontline experiences and insights on how to protect their legitimacy, expand their operational space, and strengthen their impact in the current evolving mediation landscape.
Insider mediators in a new era
How to navigate local dynamics in a politicised world
23 April 2026
16:00 - 17:15 CEST
Online event via Zoom.
This event will be held in English and Spanish with simultaneous interpretation to English.
Speakers:
- Pedro Diaz Blum, Former Venezuelan Parliamentarian, Coordinator of the Boston Group
- Honorable Aliyu Gebi, Former Senior Special Adviser to the Nigerian Ministry of Interior and Member of the House of Representatives
- Tatiana Poshevalova, General Director, EuroBelarus, negotiation practitioner and trainer
- Ali Saif Hassan, Founder and Director, Political Development Forum (PDF) in Yemen, expert in political dialogue
Moderated by Dr. Carla Schraml, Advisor Mediation and Negotiation Support, Berghof Foundation.
Please note that the event will be recorded using the cloud-based recording tool within the Zoom.us platform (using cloud servers based in the U.S.), to be published on the Berghof Foundation’s website and social media channels for external communications purposes. You can find the Berghof Foundation’s data protection notice here. If you have questions, please feel free to contact the Berghof Foundation's Data Protection Officer (data.protection@berghof-foundation.org).
Media contact
You can reach the press team at:
+49 (0) 177 7052758
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