Certifying Global Mediators and Negotiators. Member Spotlight: Deniz Kite Güner
Deniz Kite is the founder of the Global Mediators and Negotiators (GMN), an organization focuses on training, mentoring, and certifying mediators in Turkey, Cyprus, Brazil, Argentina, Kyrgyzstan, and Paraguay and certifies Turkish and Kurdish speaking mediators worldwide. Deniz has been an active member of MBBI since 2011 where she became the first non-US member of the BoD. Currently, she is the Chair of the MBBI—Turkey Regional Group. She is the first Turkish-speaking International Mediation Institute (IMI) Certified Mediator, the first Turkish Musteshar of Egypt, listed expert negotiator at Negotiation at Public Service, NL, and a mentor at Workinton Incubation Center.
Formation of the MBBI—Turkey Regional Group
Believes that mediation teaches mediators different paths of wisdom through each case, Deniz led the creation of the Group, inspired to promote good examples of MBBI, to bring MBBI’s knowledge and experience to Turkey, Caucasus, and Central Asia, to inspire Turkish-speaking mediators, and to share Turkish wisdom and culture with the MBBI community. The Group’s priority is to develop a culture where people can communicate effectively with each other to negotiate differences and perceive them for the values they bring.
MBBI—Turkey formed in 2018 and its diverse members hail from Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Cyprus. Amongst other cities and have been involved in accomplishing projects in:
Antalya, Turkey – Negotiation Workshops at Secondary Schools by Tuğçe Öztürk Almaç- Adana, Turkey – Refugee Projects & Training by Selen Berna Ünlüatlı
- Istanbul, Turkey – Gender Equality Projects by Müjde Çetin
- Nicosia, Cyprus – Held a Conference on Negotiation in Partnership with the Cyprus Near East University by Dr.Serap Özbaş
- Baku, Azerbaijan – April 2019 – Mediation Presentations at Amcham & Union Of Bar Association by Deniz Kite Güner
- Istanbul, Turkey – June 2019, The Group is Co-Organizing a Negotiation Culture Conference with GMN & Negotiators Society
Sustainable Business is Interlinked with Sustainable Peace
Global Mediators and Negotiators (GMN) is an IMI Qualifying Assessment Program (QAP). This means that the certification process that GMN undertakes with its network of mediators is internationally accredited under the auspices of the IMI. Few international organizations are considered a QAP for the IMI and it is a testament of Deniz’s career in mediation that her organization is one of the select few. Deniz’s career spans decades, as she was the founder of the Negotiators Society, which promotes good negotiation practice and negotiation culture in Turkey, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Mediterranean and develops a Code of Conduct for Negotiators.
GMN’s motto is “Internationally Recognized, Globally Competent.” Its strategies are shown in each of its six missions:
- Global Ethics & Accreditation
- Local Culture & Experience
- Organizational Transparency & Corporate Governance
- Being A Role-Model and Inspiration
- Awareness of International Human Rights & Triple Bottom Line
- Leadership for Sustainable Business & Peace
GMN is unique in its efforts striving to appreciate traditional mediation recognizing cultural customs to solve disputes. Being respectful of cultural norms allows international organizations, either non-governmental or financial or else, to succeed.
One of Deniz’s biggest pieces of advice is to “Start accepting yourself as you are, love and respect yourself. The more you became comfortable with yourself, the more neutral you will become. To sum it up: Know thy self.”
Article by Ben Lutz, MBBI Writer.