The Ararteko presents its institutional experience on restorative practices at the 12th International Seminar on Restorative Justice

The Ararteko has attended the 12th International Seminar on Restorative Justice, organised by the European Forum for Restorative Justice, in collaboration with the Department of Justice of the Government of Navarre, in Pamplona on 22-23 June. The title of the seminar, “Policy Matters in Restorative Justice: Mapping a Field in its Process of Growth and Innovation”, is a play on words that aims to highlight the importance of developing public policies in the field of restorative justice, as well as the challenges that they pose to the legislator and to those responsible for their implementation. The event gathered more than 140 professionals from the judiciary, mediation, academia and policymakers from up to 29 different countries.

On this occasion, the Ararteko’s adviser on Justice matters, Roberto Moreno, presented the experience of the Ararteko in the international initiative of restorative justice “The Encounter of the Encounters”, as representative of the community (see note published by the Ararteko). The presentation reflected on the participation in restorative practices of public bodies and official institutions, such as Ombuds institutions. On the one hand, it was highlighted the humanising value and closeness to citizens that restorative justice can bring to public administration, when its representatives participate in restorative practices on behalf of the community. On the other hand, it was noted the opportunity that restorative justice offers for the administration to accompany victims and perpetrators in their process of reintegration into the community.

This seminar has served for the Ararteko to continue forging its path in the field of restorative justice, in this case, by disseminating the experiences accumulated so far and intensifying the exchange of international good practices.