Mediation
Photo Alina Pasiuk
One of the Office’s main activities is noise management and mediating disputes between entertainment venues and citizens. We are actively working with our partners abroad and studying methods used elsewhere in the world. We regularly cooperate with the local Police and the Municipal Public Order Department. In this way, we aim to create a cohesive and sustainable interaction between nightlife professionals and communities in Vilnius. We firmly believe that this can only be achieved by ensuring that the interests of all parties are represented.
After extensive consultations with urban security experts and after having encountered many different situations in practice, we have developed an algorithm to protect the well-being of night-time businesses and residents. We now have a system in place to help citizens deal with situations where they have received a complaint about noise from an entertainment venue. The algorithm is available here.
Algorithm for assessing noise complaints
Receipt of complaint
Examination of the complaint
Analysis of information
Making suggestions
Taking into account the experience of other cities and existing international examples, Vilnius has the opportunity to become an innovative leader that successfully addresses the challenges of cultural noise management and has set the city on the right trajectory with the establishment of the Night Office. To become a true role model, we should take an integrated approach, involving the implementation of legal, urban, economic and social measures. Surveys carried out in Vilnius show that noise from music is not a major problem for residents: only 5% of respondents said they experience it. However, a survey of night-time economy professionals shows that for businesses, it is the unclear regulation of noise management that is one of the most pressing problems.
In the event of a dispute and the need for office intervention, please contact info@vnb.lt with a detailed description of the situation and your contact details.
Application of Mediation
Mediation can be an effective way not only to avoid legal disputes but also to foster mutual trust and a culture of collaboration. Cities such as New York, Melbourne, and Ghent successfully use this conflict resolution method to address music-related noise disputes without legal intervention.
All employees of the Vilnius Night Office have also completed mediation training. However, it is not always possible to find a solution that satisfies all parties.
For more complex cases, we offer the option to invite a professional mediator free of charge to assist in resolving disputes.
Photo Aneta Urbonait
Let's Connect
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