"Words Matter": Mediation Conference in the Netherlands
28 november 2025
Bussum, 28 November – The annual mediation conference of the Mediatorsfederatie Nederland (MfN), called ‘Mediationcongres’, welcomed over six hundred mediators for an instructive day filled with workshops on mediation, policy, and connecting communication. We were invited to attend the festivities.
Warm Connections
Mediation connects. Over the past few months, the Federal Mediation Commission has been hard at work to establish new contacts in Belgium and abroad, amongst other things in view of the Mediation Week. This is how we came to meet Judith Simon-Emaus, Max Magnée, and Tess Ravenhorst of the Mediatorsfederatie Nederland. New contacts grew into warm connections. As a result, they in turn invited us to attend their annual conference, which took place at the Spant! event complex in Bussum this year.
Words Matter
This edition was all about words. What you say, how you say it, what words you use: all of this is extremely important. In conflict situations in particular, you should not underestimate just how important it is to weigh your words carefully. Participants were able to explore the theme further through various workshops: connecting communication, the psychology of language, the language of the child, storytelling ... And that is just a glimpse of what was on offer. More general topics were also discussed, such as the new regulations of the MfN, or the things you need to take into account as the owner of a mediation practice. In short, the day offered something for everyone.
What's in a Name?
The words you choose matter. Yet ... back in 1597, Shakespeare wrote: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” The Mediationcongres not only provided us with compelling insights into language and mediation, but we also got a first-hand look at the Dutch mediation practices. There is definitely a language barrier: while 'bemiddeling' and 'bemiddelaar' are the go-to terms in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, the Netherlands use the loanwords 'mediation' and 'mediator'. Different terms. Different system. But guess what? Although our systems are not the same, we face similar challenges. And although we might not share the same terminology, we strive for same values: connection, communication, quality.
We thank the MfN for the warm invitation and look forward to our future collaborations.
