Conflict resolution day: October 15, 2009.

• Position: Legal Events

In 2006, the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) declared the third Thursday each October to be Conflict Resolution Day. This year, the event will be October 15, 2009.

ACR is a professional organization dedicated to enhancing the practice and public understanding of conflict resolution. It is based in the United States and includes members from all over the world. The membership includes over 6,000 mediators, arbitrators, facilitators, educators, and others involved in the field of conflict resolution and collaborative decision-making.

Events marking Conflict Resolution Day have taken place around the globe, including the Unites States, Canada, France, Nicaragua, Israel and Portugal. In Alberta, a coalition of government and not- for- profit agencies have worked together to raise awareness of the different conflict resolution options available to the public by marking Conflict Resolution Day with provincial and local events.

Conflict Resolution in Alberta

The Government of Alberta has its own Dispute Resolution Network providing, options for resolving issues across a wide range of ministries and work areas, including: Municipal Affairs, Employment and Immigration, Agriculture and Food, Environment, Justice, Sustainable Resource Development and Service Alberta. Learn more by visiting: http://www.justice.gov.ab.ca/drn/default.aspx Throughout Alberta, there are also numerous agencies, both private and not-for-profit, that work to provide conflict resolution options for the public in diverse areas including divorce and separation, workplace, victim offender, community, business, sports, and consumer issues.

Conflict Resolution Day: October 15/09

In 2008, the Alberta Legislature proclaimed International Conflict Resolution Day. Volunteers instructed free skills workshops to the public across the province. Local groups organized seminars, meetings, and information booths. Events took place in libraries, workplaces, shopping malls and in municipal, provincial, and federal buildings.

For 2009, the Alberta coalition has adopted the theme "Options For Albertans" and aims to highlight the various choices Albertans have to resolve conflict. Across the province, there will be a lunchtime video conference broadcast via the Business Link network. A panel of experts from the conflict resolution field will discuss a variety of scenarios and how they might each be resolved using different methods of resolution. The panel will include a mediator, a...