The “It’s Safe” initiative by Delfi Lithuania was launched in response to the geopolitical situation, the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine, and the resulting public anxiety.

People were moving from one alarming news story to another, reading all the worrying headlines left them feeling panicked. Some even wanted to disconnect from the news entirely and pretend nothing was happening.

But what if we could provide a middle ground? A way to stay informed and connected without being frightened or falling into panic?

Context is king

In these turbulent times, the volume of news is overwhelming. Much of it can be genuinely worrying, and we understand that some of it is also part of an information war, as Russia aims to instil fear in people in Lithuania and other countries.

Journalists cannot ignore such news, especially in the age of social media, where information spreads rapidly. However, we can provide a broader context.

The first step of our initiative was to innovate in media reporting by including expert commentary on the war, security, defence, and related topics.

We created a network of experts who were ready to provide insights whenever worrying news appeared. They shared their opinions on what the news really meant, whether people should be concerned, and what interests might be behind the spread of certain stories.

All articles with expert commentary were published on the Delfi Web site, the most popular news portal in Lithuania, and on a dedicated platform, Saugu.delfi.lt (meaning “It’s Safe”), which collected all related news in one place.

A place for solutions

As part of the initiative, we also launched monthly special forums. Each session focused on a pressing topic, bringing together top experts to explore it from multiple perspectives.

Questions included: How should our economic policies adapt to the possibility of war? How resilient is our energy system, and what improvements are needed? Should our education system be reformed to nurture a more patriotic society?

These discussions often included the country’s top leaders, including Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, who has supported the initiative from its very beginning, helping to guide the conversation and raise public awareness.

Meeting people face to face

We’ve noticed something important: People may hesitate to trust the media, but they tend to trust others.

That insight inspired us to take our work directly to the communities of Lithuania. Twice a month, we travel to different regions to meet people in person, creating spaces for open conversation and shared learning.

At these gatherings, participants have the chance to speak with Delfi journalists — some of whom have reported from war zones — as well as ambassadors from the “It’s Safe” initiative. These ambassadors are not only well-known figures in Lithuania but also volunteers in defence unions or experts in safety and preparedness.

The conversations are practical and hands-on. We discuss essential preparations for households, how to create a family emergency plan, and strategies for surviving when energy sources are unavailable.

Watching people absorb these lessons is rewarding — but what’s even more inspiring is seeing communities grow stronger, connections deepen, and neighbours support one another.

These meetings are more than just information sessions; they’re a reminder that trust, knowledge, and resilience are built together, face to face.

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