Europe: The City of Brussels plans to begin a public awareness campaign on resolving neighbourhood issues through Bravvo, its local conflict mediation service, as per the sources.
The mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close, mentioned in the statement, “With the campaign, we want to point out that Bravvo’s four local mediators are ready at any time to facilitate communication and dialogue between neighbours.”
Moreover, he further added, “Tensions between neighbours are part of city life. We must learn to address each other in time, show our goodwill, and prevent tensions from degenerating into an intractable conflict.”
Bravvo seeks to inform locals about its free mediation service through fliers, posters, and face-to-face meetings in a variety of Brussels neighbourhoods, including the city centre, the Marolles, Schaerbeek’s Chaussรฉe D’Anvers, Laeken, and Citรฉ Modรจle.
In the event of a local conflict between neighbours, residents can call one of four free local mediators. The mediators will first listen to the application’s explanation of the matter, then attempt to schedule an appointment with the opposing party to hear their side of the story, and finally, offer mediation. If all parties agree, a first meeting is scheduled to identify a solution that is acceptable to both sides.
Along with this, Bravvo encourages people to get in touch the moment there is any tension. “We want to let individuals know that we are here and that they should contact us as soon as possible,” stressed Nurinnisa Balci, Bravvo’s local mediator in the Northern Quarter of Brussels.
Furthermore, “Good mediation offers a faster and more sustainable solution than legal proceedings. It has been proven that a negotiated solution calms a situation better than a bad trial with a winner and a loser.”
