Merging Ethiopian Wise-Counsel Mediation and Facilitative ...

The participants will probably have faced difficulties in drawing the picture and they will not understand why their partner was tryingto draw something totally different. Each partner will have had the assumption that they were attempting to draw the same picture. Thusthey might feel impatient, misunderstood or even angry. Ask them what was difficult for them. Somebody might mention that it seemedlike they wanted to draw different things. Then present the pictures to them and ask, "What is this picture of?" The participants will givedifferent answers in the beginning, but after a while everybody should realise that the picture can be seen as either a mouse or a face.This moment of recognition is the so-called "Aha!" effect.Suddenly they will understand that their partner saw something totally different based on their experience, and that it was logical foreach of them them to draw different pictures. At this moment, they understand the other's position and are able to change perspective,to "step into the other's shoes".Shift the discussion now to the subjectivity of "truth" in conflict. You can ask, "The question remaining is, 'What is the truth? Man or mouseor both?'"’or, "How is it possible that some participants perceived the picture as a mouse while others saw it as a face?"The answer about the subjectivity of truth in conflict might come when you show the first and the second pictures you used. At this point,initiate a discussion about how previous experience and information shapes our perceptions. Emphasise that it is important for mediatorsto be aware of this and to help the parties to understand each other's backgrounds.Explain afterwards that the "Aha!" moment they just experienced is the crucial turning point in a facilitative, transformative mediationprocess. From this point on, solutions are possible.Step 6: If the participants have understood the concept, bridge the exerciseto real-life experiences. Ask the participants for situations wherethey have observed, mediated, or been in a conflict. Let them reflect onthe “Aha!” moment of changing perspectives in their experiences.Step 7: Using the heading: "What can we learn from this exercise?"collect participants' statements on a flipchart. In the evaluation process,emphasise that the major role of mediators is to know the perspectivesof the parties involved and to be all-partisan. Thus it is important formediators to ask questions about the parties'’histories and experiencesbefore and during mediation sessions.50 Mediation Trainer’s Manual