Mediation Day took place on the Florida State University campus on Thursday, October 20. It was held in conjunction with Conflict Resolution Day, which was being celebrated nationally. On a statewide scale, the event was part of Mediation Week that Governor Jeb Bush declared in Florida for October 16-23.

The day-long FSU event was co-chaired by Mary Jernigan, Associate Director, Employee Assistance Program at FSU, and Lennie Helfand, with FSU’s General Counsel Office. Sharon Press, Chief of Dispute Resolution Center at the Florida Supreme Court, was the master of ceremonies for the day’s activities. She greeted an audience that filled the Student Services Building conference hall. Approximately 125 students were in attendance, representing eight Tallahassee-area schools.

Chief Justice Barbara Pariente was the guest speaker who welcomed students and guests. Chief Pariente told students that resolving disputes peacefully is very important in our society. Chief Pariente said, “Resolving disputes through mediation eases the burden of our court system. In most situations, when two parties are empowered to resolve a conflict on their own, the decision they arrive at is far more satisfactory and long-lasting than it would be if a court or judge ordered some action.” The Chief went on to say that by understanding mediation skills, students would be better able to serve as peer mediators to help peacefully resolve problems in their own schools.

Earlier in the week, the Chief Justice issued a Conflict Resolution Proclamation.