One of the most anticipated films of the year, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, hit the big screen earlier this month. Based on ticket sales, the film was watched by approximately 15 to 18 million people around the world on its opening weekend alone. While not a policy piece, this latest retelling of Odysseus’ homecoming journey does offer a form of cultural policy reflection about the state of our world, in particular with regards to respect for international law.
This year’s Master of Advanced Studies ETH Mediation in Peace Processes (MAS ETH MPP) Biennial Policy Forum on Peace Mediation explored the future of mediation in a shifting geopolitical context. It highlighted the challenges mediation is facing today – but also came with calls for ambition. Inbal Ben-Ezer and Eemeli Isoaho from the MAS ETH MPP team share key takeaways from the forum.
On 12 June 2026, the biennial Forum on Peace Mediation, organised by the Master of Advanced Studies ETH “Mediation in Peace Processes” (MAS ETH MPP) coordinated by the Center for Security Studies (CSS), took place in Zurich. Mediation experts from academia and practice, alongside policy-makers, highlighted the challenges facing peace mediation in today’s complex global landscape, how it is adapting, and why it remains indispensable.
