The 2025 edition of the International Mediation Competition, hosted by RMLNLU from 7th to 9th March, welcomed 32 distinguished teams from India and abroad to Lucknow, a city known for its timeless elegance and cultural richness. Blending legal excellence with time-honoured tradition, the competition provided a dynamic platform for cross-border dialogue and collaborative learning.

Coinciding with International Women’s Day on 8th March, this edition celebrated the transformative role of women in mediation and peacebuilding, featuring female participants and assessors from across the country and overseas. The competition reaffirmed IMC’s ongoing commitment to fostering gender-inclusive perspectives within the field of alternative dispute resolution, positioning mediation as a space for diverse voices, equitable participation, and inclusive dialogue.

Participants were presented with intricate mediation scenarios that tested their legal judgment, emotional intelligence, and intercultural adaptability—qualities essential to effective mediation and reflective of the spirit of International Women’s Day. The event also featured workshops, including a session on mediation by Joe Tirado and another on negotiation by Kathleen Ruane Leedy, providing participants with practical frameworks grounded in the extensive cross-border experience of the practitioners. The competition was further elevated by the presence of renowned international adjudicators and well-regarded problem drafters, whose expertise and high standards ensured a rigorous and intellectually stimulating experience for all involved.

The 2025 edition stood as a compelling intersection of tradition and progress, upholding the enduring relevance of mediation in addressing contemporary conflicts through dialogue, inclusion, and mutual understanding.