I am Aleksandar Stojanović (29) from Leskovac. I completed my undergraduate and master’s studies at the Faculty of Security Studies in Belgrade. I founded the Center for Security Research (Serbian: Centar za Istraživanje Bezbednosti, abbreviated as CIB) and also work as a journalist for the Frankfurt News, the Regional News Agency JUGpress, and the Leskovac weekly Our New Word (Serbian: Nova Naša Reč). I authored the book Small Stories of Leskovac and have written numerous stories, essays, and poems. As the CIB coordinator, I led projects with BIRN on the rise of nationalism in the Balkans and the misuse of intrusive technologies by our country’s security agencies. After the tragic murder of students and security personnel at Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School in Belgrade in May 2023, I participated in the international security conference “Crisis Management System in Serbia: The Role of Civil Society.” My writing covers global, regional, and national security, and I am particularly committed to the security of ordinary people, especially workers. Prior to founding CIB, I collaborated with the Center for Democracy and Development of South Serbia, focusing on improving the position of vulnerable groups in southern Serbia, such as rural women, the elderly, and workers. Through Heartefact’s program, I aim to enhance the safety of citizens, particularly workers in large factories owned by foreign investors in Leskovac. I believe that individual safety encompasses not only physical security but also economic, health, environmental, and other conditions in which people work and live. I am dedicated to contributing to the community through my activities in this field.
