The Department of Justice held the biennial "Mediate First" Pledge Event today to promote mediation culture by encouraging different sectors of the community to explore the use of mediation to resolve disputes.

Delivering the opening remarks, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said that mediation has made significant progress in the decade since the first pledge event in 2013, including the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation Preparatory Office earlier this year.

The department will make its best efforts in the local, Mainland and international promotion of mediation culture to facilitate wider use of mediation to resolve conflicts in amicable and constructive ways with mutually acceptable settlements, he added.

The forum comprised a session on the synergy of mediation in case settlement presented by judges and lawyers, with Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal Johnson Lam giving concluding remarks.

A drama was also staged to explore the use of mediation to resolve different types of disputes in daily life, plus a panel discussion for legal practitioners and mediators to share their perspectives on resolving day-to-day interpersonal conflicts.

The signing ceremony of the "Mediate First" Pledge and the Star Logo Award Presentation Ceremony were held after Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan delivered remarks to conclude the forum.

Thirty-two pledgees were presented the awards in recognition of their achievements in promoting and adopting mediation in the course of their business operations. More than 800 organisations and individuals have signed the pledge since its launch in 2009.

This year's event also included an information fair to facilitate better understanding of the mediation services provided by government departments and mediation organisations.