On February 2, 2024, the Mediators Association of Georgia (MAG) delivered an online training designed to improve its members' expertise in mediation. Supported by the USAID Rule of Law Program, the training session saw the active participation of 28 mediators from various cities including, Tbilisi, Gori, Kutaisi, Akhaltsikhe, and Batumi.

The event was part of a MAG grant activity, funded by the Program, which is expanding the knowledge of the mediators about different procedural aspects of mediation. 

These aspects include legislation related to mediation included in the Law on Mediation and the Civil Procedural Code. These laws include provisions which serve as guidelines for conducting mediation.

Lasha Kalandadze, an experienced mediator and lawyer, led the training. In the first part of the training, he explained to the participants the history and reasons for including specific provisions on mediation in the legislation, especially in the Procedural Code of Georgia, which mainly governs court-annexed mediation. 

The participants discussed different issues with the trainer, including the difference between court annexed vs private mediation. The trainer shared practical aspects with the participants and participants updated their knowledge on the issues considered by mediation legislation, in particular on the: guarantees of protection of confidentiality of the procedure, enforcement of the mediation agreements, following tight deadlines for mediation, the flexibility of the parties to govern the procedures compared to the court procedures.