The “Here – safer” sign marks places that have signed the memorandum and implement specific safety measures. The aim is for the sign to become a recognizable signal to visitors that constant attention is paid to safety at the location: employees strengthen their competencies, incident response procedures are in place, harm reduction and sexual violence prevention measures are implemented, and the team knows how to act when someone needs help.
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“Nightlife is an important part of Vilnius culture and city identity, so it is important to us not only its vitality and diversity but also how people feel in it. The ‘Here – safer’ sign allows visitors to see that a specific place takes safety seriously and invests in it in its daily work. We want this approach in Vilnius nightlife to become not an exception but a usual quality standard,” says Vilnius city mayor Valdas Benkunskas.
The sign means readiness, not a safety promise
The “Here – safer” sign is not a guarantee that an incident will never happen in the marked area. Its purpose is to show that the place is prepared to reduce risks, prevent incidents, and respond appropriately when someone needs help.
To receive the sign, places must implement the commitments set out in the memorandum. Employee participation in training, visitor education, safety and harm reduction measures, employee readiness to respond to risky situations, internal systems, and other measures provided for in the nightlife safety standard are evaluated.
“Safety is not a state that can be achieved once and checked off. It is a continuous process – employee readiness, clear procedures, the ability to notice a risky situation and know what to do when someone needs help. Therefore, the ‘Here – safer’ sign does not mean that nothing bad can happen at the place. It means that the place takes safety responsibly and is practically prepared for it,” says Laura Vaišnore, director of the Vilnius Night Office.
The first “Here – safer” signs were received by 15 Vilnius entertainment venues: “Elastica,” “Gringo,” “InVino,” “Kernagis bar,” “Loftas,” “Lukiškių kalėjimas 2.0,” “Mello,” “Nomads,” “Pianoman,” “Plus plus plus,” “Portobello,” “Sparta,” “The Bubbles. Champaneria,” “Utopija,” “Gallery 1986.”
From agreement to concrete safety practices
The Safety Memorandum 2025 united Vilnius city municipality, Vilnius Night Office, and the capital’s entertainment venues for a common goal – to systematically create a safer nightlife environment.
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Places that signed the memorandum committed to strengthening visitor and employee safety, applying prevention and harm reduction principles, not tolerating sexual harassment and violence, and responding appropriately to risky situations. Consultations and methodological assistance are provided to places, priority is given to employee training participation, access to the nightlife safety standard and practical measures.
During the first year of memorandum implementation, interest in training and consultations grew, prevention and harm reduction measures were more actively implemented, and cooperation strengthened. The “Here – safer” marking became another stage of memorandum implementation – it helps visitors recognize places where agreed safety principles are consistently applied in practice.
Another 17 places joined the memorandum
During the signing of the additional safety memorandum, another 17 Vilnius entertainment venues joined it: “Anna Mesha butas,” “Bitc,” “Bukowski bar,” “Devyni nulis,” “Draugų vardai,” “Estradà,” “Kablys,” “Kostmosas,” “Peronas,” “San Diego,” “Smagus raugas,” “Tamsta Club,” “The Usual,” “Vanagai,” “Vijokliai,” “Youngs Club,” “Who Hit John.”
These places supplemented the list of places that signed the 2025 memorandum: “Alchemikas,” “Bardakas,” “The Bubbles. Champaneria,” “Dėvėti,” “Dūmų fabrikas,” “Elastica,” “Estafetė,” “Gringo,” “InVino,” “Kernagis bar,” “Loftas,” “Lukiškių kalėjimas 2.0,” “Mello,” “Monstro Pizza bar,” “Nick and Nora,” “Nijinsky III,” “Nomads,” “Pianoman,” “Plus plus plus,” “Portobello,” “Sanatorija,” “Sparta,” “ŠMC kavinė,” “Utopija,” and “Gallery 1986.”
In total, 42 Vilnius nightlife venues have currently signed the Safety Memorandum.
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