Between 1979 and 1995, Richard Salem made 15 extended trips to South Africa where he pioneered the training of negotiation and mediation in community conflicts. He served on the initial training committee of South Africa's National Peace Accord and provided training for the Accord's regional and local peace committees. In 1992 he led 20 South African mediators on a tour of grass roots mediation centers in the USA under the auspices of the U. S. Information Service. Salem's work in South Africa led CMI and two South African partner NGO's to receive the Mary Parker Follett Award from the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution in 1994 for "innovative and effective work ... to help create democratic problem-solving processes in the new South Africa."
