Feedback from all the MeM participants has been extremely important and valuable at all stages of the project. Now that the project is over, we have talked with our mediators once again and asked whether the project helped them gain and develop skills and competences, what was important for them, and how things could have been improved. We also invited mediators to brainstorm opportunities for the future.
Here, we share some of the feedback we received.
⭐️ Discoveries, new perspectives, and experiences:
“For me, art mediation is a salvation and an outlet because in the current crisis, all “classical” and traditional art formats seem insufficient to me.”
“Thanks to MeM, I became more independent and aware of my opportunities. The project guided me: it helped to answer the question where I want to go, where is my creative future. Now, I am most interested in dialogue with people, and direct, unmediated communication.”
“I liked the format of the educational programme, there was enough time to digest the new information and experiences.”
“The freedom and possibility of active participation were extremely important to me. I appreciate the fact that all points of view were treated as equally important and all the voices were heard.”
“Direct collaboration with artists through discussion was definitely a benefit.”
“I had a chance to learn a lot about the concepts of the project. A new and especially important one for me was the need for unlearning.”
“Once again, I was convinced that community has such a strong agency once the organizers decide share power and delegate authority to the participants.”
“There is an interest to continue working together on introducing art mediation into a wider practice.”
“I am interested in social problems, which became even more complicated with the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. MeM helped me understand that I want to work with them in the future, not indulge myself in purely academic research.”
“MeM is one of the most transformative experiences in my life: a very complex project, many challenges along the way that made both mediators and organizers stronger.”
“Even individual micro-meetings with project participants were therapeutic for me at this time.”
“After-effect of the project – a feeling of happiness, belonging, even euphoria.”
“We have created a micro-society, a community, and it worked wonders. I felt constant support at these uneasy times.”
⭐️ Space for development and improvement:
“Complex “scholarly” terminology – it is important to make the language accessible for everyone, regardless of the background.”
“More time should be devoted to different aspects of inclusion – ethnic issues, gender, etc.”
“Devote more time to the real mediation practice!”
“More offline communication (which was not possible due to COVID) with local and international partners.”
⭐️ Ideas for the future:
“Hybrid mediations (online and offline)”
“Mediator residences”
“I would like an open and well-structured conversation about history, about the war (s)”
“Tours in the supermarkets and ethnic shops”
“Quality of communication and conflict resolution – a topic for a future project.”
“Dialogues in various forms need to be continued.”
“We definitely need to meet more often!”