Mediation in armed conflicts means sitting down with brutal war lords, hiding your true values and in an open dialogue trying to really understand  all sides of the parties involved. In the most pressurised environments, there are nearly always possible pathways to a win-win outcome — but finding the way requires a combination of imagination, goodwill, timing, and street smarts. Reflections on Diplomacy and Peace Mediation was presented at the TheMHS Conference 2024 Speaker Paul Dziatkowiec Director of Mediation and Peace Support, Geneva Centre for Security Policy Listen to Big Ideas - Is making war more humane in fact prolonging the fighting?