By Philip Walzer (December 14, 2017)

When Berhanu Mengistu was a little boy, his mother saved his life.

Mengistu, the youngest of 13 children, was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling when the house – in Ethiopia’s northern countryside – caught fire. His mother grabbed him and rushed out. As she left, the ceiling collapsed.

A sign in his office recalls an African proverb: “A good deed is something one returns.” It’s a message Mengistu has taken to heart in a big way.

By Berhanu Mengistu (2014)

Mediation or Shemeglena, the Amharic translation, is a common intervention method of peacemaking in the Ethiopian tradition. Judged by its modern equivalent of the mediation process, however, Shemeglena lacks some basic factors such as impartiality, neutrality and a modern version of ethical conduct necessary to be considered equivalent to a modern version of alternative dispute resolution. And yet, since the Shemeglena system has been part of the fabric of the society since time immemorial, the basic factors lacking can be easily remediated in workshops facilitated by a trained mediator to make the system very viable in addressing the complicated and complex political situations in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian political system is complicated both as framed by the constitution (Alemante G. Selassie, emeritus professor of college of William and Mary, 2003) and as practiced in the governing process. Even though detailed discussion of the Ethiopian governance system is not the purpose of this paper, it is imperative to note that a clear understanding of both the complications and complexities of the political-economy of present Ethiopia by the would-be mediators/shemageles is one of the fundamental prerequisites for pursuing a potentially successful mediation work for the creation of a political space by the ruling party of Ethiopia to the opposition parties. 

1. Education:
   • Conflict Prevention and Transformation
   • The art and science of conflict analysis, methods and strategies
   • Negotiation skills in conflict resolutions
   • The art and Science of Mediation
   • Change management and transition for transformation
   • Leadership
2. Community Impact:
   • Community based mediation
   • Education and training in soft skills development
   • Support the Ethiopian Education system in developing holistic curriculum both at school and college.
   • Workshop in conflict resolutions, negotiation, mediation, change management and leadership skills
3. News and Events
   • News and events
   • Cases and documents in conflict resolution and peacemaking
   • Social media postings
   • Blogs
4. Publication
   • Annual Reports
   • EFCE Newsletter and ideas in peacemaking
   • Current peace program publications including research findings in conflict resolutions, truth, justice, reconciliation and peacemaking

The Ethiopian Form for Constructive Engagement, established in 2014, is a non-governmental, non‐profit and non‐partisan Peacemaking organization in the advancement of truth, justice, reconciliation and human rights.

To help facilitate in engaging in constructive dialogues among the different Ethiopian community of interests and political perspectives for the advancement of good will, trust and mutualism.

To advise and support the Ethiopian educational curricula for middle and high school students to incorporate soft skills such as conflict resolution, negotiation and peer-mediation that are essential for personal growth, organizational success and nation building especially in a multi-ethnic country.

Using the art and science of conflict resolution and mediation promote a culture of constructive dialogue among Ethiopians at home and the diaspora.