Adnan Ćerimagić (Bosnia and Herzegovina
Senior Analyst at the Berlin-based think tank, European Stability Initiative (ESI), since January 2015. Before joining ESI, Adnan worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo and Brussels. He also completed a traineeship in the Secretariat of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee and worked for the European Training and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (ETC) in Graz. He studied law at the University of Graz and EU international relations and diplomacy at the College of Europe in Bruges.
Agnesa Qerimi (Kosovo)
Former Executive Director of Kosovar Youth Council and a current Program Manager at Foundation Shtatëmbëdhjetë. Agnesa has extensive experience in program management. Her work experience includes fundraising, program management, youth empowerment, and development. For the past 7 years, Agnesa has led, supported, and mentored the largest youth structure in Kosovo, the Student Council of Kosovo. She has been actively involved in institutional policy-making and decision-making processes, advocating for better education. Agnesa is also an avid human rights activist.
Anja Jokić (Serbia)
Project intern at the National Youth Council of Serbia (KOMS). She holds a BA in Political Sciences - International Relations and is currently a master’s candidate at the Regional Master's Program in Peace Studies. During her BA studies, she attended a one-year program in Women’s Studies, with a focus on the history of feminist movements, the representation of women in media, and gender-based violence. Anja is an alumna of the OSCE Dialogue Academy for Young Women and a recipient of the Scholarship for Peace and Security for 2019, which is awarded by the OSCE and UNODA. Through her engagement with the DA alumnae network, she developed and implemented the “Academy of Language and Culture” project, a ten-day Albanian and Serbian language program. In addition, she has taken part in several regional initiatives, mostly focusing on youth cooperation and gender equality.
Nikola Burazer (Serbia)
Programme Director at the Centre for Contemporary Politics and Executive Editor at European Western Balkans. He previously worked as a researcher for the Forum for Ethnic Relations in Belgrade and the Institute for Development and International Relations in Zagreb. Nikola was also a guest lecturer at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) in Budapest, where he taught courses on nationalism in the Balkans, as well as a research fellow at the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG). He holds an MA in Nationalism Studies from the Central European University (CEU) in Budapest and a BA in Political Science from the University of Belgrade.
Aulonë Memeti (Kosovo)
Executive Director of Admovere, an NGO in Prishtina. She is also the co-organizer of TEDxPrishtina and TEDxPrishtinaWomen, independently-organized TED events that aim to showcase the achievements of Kosovo’s innovators, great thinkers, and taboo breakers. Together with a small group of young people, Aulonë established “DOIT,” a local NGO through which TEDx events and other similar events are organized. In 2016, together with a group of activists, she also helped establish #protestoj, a informal civic initiative that organized protests in response to the leaked wiretaps of high-ranking politicians in Kosovo. Aulonë studied International Relations at American University in Washington, DC and is now pursuing a BA degree in sociology at the Public University of Prishtina. She has experience in project management and research in various non-profits organizations. For the past two years, her work focused on education and transitional justice through her work with Admovere.
Gentiola Madhi (Albania)
Associated researcher at the European Movement Albania and, since 2018, regularly contributes to Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso - Transeuropa. Previously, she worked as project manager at the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and national programme officer at Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation. Gentiola graduated from the College of Europe (Bruges), the University of Florence, and the European College of Parma. She has an extensive experience as a policy researcher in the Balkans.
Mario Mažić (Croatia)
Founding Partner at Europe&Southeast, a social benefit-focused consultancy company based in his home town of Petrinja, Croatia; a Program Advisor at PeaceNexus Foundation in Switzerland; a Board Member at the Humanitarian Law Center in Kosovo; the initiator of the Political Youth Network, which gathers young political leaders from post-Yugoslav nations; the Co-founder of Arterarij, an organization promoting participation and tolerance through art projects; and a Western Balkans Initiative expert at the International Institute for Peace. He holds an MA in International Development and Policy from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and is part of the inaugural cohort of Obama Foundation Scholars. Mario also has a BA in International Relations from Libertas International University in Zagreb. In 2012, he was a Fellow in Historical Dialogue and Accountability at the Institute for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University in New York. He founded and led the Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Croatia and for two years led the efforts of Reach for Change Foundation in Croatia. In January 2020, Mario became a Fellow of the London-based Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (The RSA).
Stefani Spirovska (North Macedonia)
President of Youth Educational Forum, a youth organization based in Skopje, North Macedonia. She has worked in the field of non-formal education, improving the formal education system, and advocated for youth participation and the creation of quality youth policies for the past 5 years. Stefani is a practiced debater who studies civil law and appreciates the benefits of non-formal education and youth organizing.
Dina Bajramspahić (Montenegro)
Research Director at Institute Alternative (IA), a Montenegrin think tank organisation. She has been working at IA as a researcher for almost nine years. Her educational background is in political science (European Studies). Dina is coordinating IA’s rule of law and security and defense program, and she has written around 30 policy analyses of different types (studies, briefs, reports, articles). She is involved in Montenegrin accession negotiations process with the EU as a member of the Government of Montenegro Working Group for Chapter 23 “Judiciary and Fundamental Rights.” Dina also covers the position of the Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) for Open Government Partnership (OGP) for Montenegro. She speaks English and Montenegrin.
Vuk Velebit (Serbia)
Independent political analyst, specializing in relations between Serbia, the EU, and Russia. Vuk holds an MA in International security, and his thesis analyzed how a pro-Russian narrative is being created in Serbian daily media. He has a broad background in Serbian civic activism, and he writes and comments for several media outlets.
Djordje Bojović (Serbia)
Parliamentary Advisor at European Parliament
Donika Emini (Kosovo)
PhD candidate in Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster, London and leads the CiviKos Platform, a secretariat gathering 250 CSOs in Kosovo. She holds a scholarship of the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and a master’s degree in Public Policy, specializing in Public and Non-Profit Management and International Relations. Upon her return from Germany to Kosovo, Donika was a recipient of the OSI – Think Tank Young Professional Development Program as part of the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies, where she previously worked (2013-2016). Furthermore, she was a Research Fellow at the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) Paris Office HQ, with a fellowship granted by European Fund for the Balkans. Previously, Donika worked with the Transparency International Secretariat in Berlin, the Balkan Policy Institute (IPOL), and the General Consulate of the Republic of Kosovo in New York.
Alida Vračić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Political scientist and both co-founder and executive directress of “Populari”, a Bosnia-based think tank specializing in the European integration of the Western Balkans. Alida is currently a Europe’s Futures Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna and a Visiting Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Alida has also worked for the State Court prosecutor’s team and at the Human Rights Commission within the Constitutional Court of Bosnia. Alida holds a M.Sc. in international public policy from the University College London and a B.A. from the Law School at the University of Sarajevo, and she completed the executive education program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Senada Šelo Šabić (Croatia)
Senior Scientific Associate in the Institute for Development and International Relations in Zagreb. Her research interests include Croatian foreign policy, Southeast Europe, EU affairs, and migration. She holds Ph.D. in political science from the European University Institute in Florence and has earned two Masters degrees – in international relations from the University of Zagreb and in peace studies from the University of Notre Dame, USA. Senada is editor-in-chief of the Croatian International Relations Review and teaches in Croatia and abroad. She frequently appears in media on foreign policy issues and other related topics.
Maja Bjelos (Serbia)
Public policy analyst and advocate in the area of security sector reform and gender. She has ten years of professional experience working for the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy. Maja has a track record of monitoring the implementation of Resolution 1325 in Serbia and reporting on its progress to different national and global organizations. She is also a member of various networks, such as the National Convention on the European Union (NCEU), the Women's Platform for the Development of Serbia, and Serbian 1325 Civil Society Network. She graduated from the international relations program at the Faculty of Political Science at University of Belgrade, where she also completed a post-graduate master’s program in international security.
Dafina Peci (Albania)
Secretary General for the National Youth Congress (NYC) of Albania, an umbrella organization of 112 youth organizations. She holds a bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and International Relations and a master’s degree in Regional Policy and Security. She also completed a specialization in Post Conflict Security Establishments, Peacebuilding, and Mediation. Since 2013, Dafina has directed the main programs of NYC in cooperation with its strategic partners on youth employment, empowerment through education, youth participation in policy and decision making, social security, and EU Integration. She has also been engaged in the working group to establish the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) since its inception and is the representative of Albanian youth in RYCO’s Governing Board.
Samir Beharić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Award-winning youth activist, a TEDx speaker, and a recent graduate from the University of Vienna and Leipzig University. He currently works as a Schuman Trainee at the European Parliament in Brussels and serves as a board member of the Western Balkans Alumni Association. Over the last 10 years, he has been particularly involved in the fight against ethnic segregation in the Bosnian school system. He studied at universities in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Italy, and Turkey.
Agim Selami (North Macedonia)
Holds a master’s degree in Public Policy and Decentralized Governance from the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. He has 10 years of professional experience working in the non-governmental sector in North Macedonia in areas including local government, social entrepreneurship, youth, policy research, project writing, and project management. He has substantial working experience with local government units with a focus on local economic development, social inclusion, and education. Agim is one of the founders of ZIP Institute and has been leading the organization since its beginnings.
MAK KASAPOVIĆ (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Senior undergraduate student of International Relations and Undergraduate Research Assistant at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Mak was also a Junior Fellow at the European Stability Initiative think tank, where he researched topics ranging from the EU’s defence of the rule of law to how the EU can support Western Balkan countries in developing their migration and asylum policies in a humane way.
Alba Brojka (Albania)
Political scientist and she is currently assisting the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) as a regional expert for the Western Balkans. Ms. Brojka believes that change is possible when people are empowered, a conviction she held throughout her work in the civil society in Albania and now in her affiliation with the donor organization EED. Moreover, Ms. Brojka has been a strong advocate of youth participation and inclusion of young experts in her capacity as Special Representative on Youth and Security of the Slovak and Albanian Chairmanship of the OSCE. Due to her academic and professional background, she has acquired an in-depth knowledge of the political, economic and social developments of the countries in the Western Balkans and of the region overall; as well as the EU enlargement process and EU’s decision making and foreign policy. Ms. Brojka has successfully raised the capacities of the only youth organization bringing global topics to the youth in Albania, UN Association Albania, and has facilitated the path towards its membership to the World Federation of the UN Associations. In addition to her commitment to high professional standards, she has strong communicative, management and leadership skills, as well as researching and context analysis abilities in her work. Ms. Brojka holds a master on International Relations and Diplomacy of the EU from the College of Europe in Bruges, as well as a BA in Law from the University of Tirana and a BA in International Relations from University of New York Tirana. She has attended numerous trainings and workshops in the region and in Europe, as well as contributed as guest lecturer and member of panels on different topics related to her expertise.
Vilson Blloshmi (ALBANIA)
He graduated in Political Science and currently works as an Executive Specialist at Agency for Support of Local Self Government, Ministry of Interior. He is studying for a science master's degree in Public Administration. During all this time he has been engaged in several youth activities. His fields of interest are philosophy, political science, international relations, conflict resolution, and diplomacy.
Laura Crnić (Croatia)
Junior Researcher in the Institute for Development and International Relations in Zagreb (IRMO). She previously worked for the United States Embassy in Zagreb. Laura is also a student of Political Science at University of Zagreb.
Dennis Miskić (Austria - Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Student of Political Science at the University of Vienna and freelance journalist regularly contributing to German and Austrian media analyzing SEE politics. In 2021 he initiated the "Austrian Service Abroad" program at the Srebrenica Memorial Center funded by the Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs and continued to work there as the first Austrian volunteer for a year. He was awarded the "Austrian Servant Abroad of the Year" for his work at the Memorial. He is also active in different NGOs where he organizes study trips, co-authors Policy Briefs, and conducts research on topics ranging from genocide studies to EU-politics in the Western Balkans.
Alice Lojić (Austria - Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Student, activist and currently working at the office of MEP and Vice President Evelyn Regner. She recently enrolled in her masters in political science at the University of Vienna, after finishing her Bachelor thesis, in which she wrote about the political participation of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian diaspora in Vienna. Being herself part of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian diaspora, the accession process and emancipation of civic engagement are her main focus.
Larissa Lojić (Austria - Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Student of political science and socioeconomics from Vienna, Austria. She focuses mainly on Western Balkan 6 and the EU- Integration process in her studies. Additionally, she has been very active in youth activism on national and international level. She has been representing the Austrian Youth on European level for the past two years. The past year she has been organizing movie screenings, panel discussions and a study trip with the aim to on the one hand empower the youth of the Bosnian diaspora, but also spread knowledge about the WB6 in Austrian society.
Sara Cabarkapa (Montenegro)
Program Coordinator at the National Democratic Institute in Montenegro where she works on a number of programs focused on openness and transparency, anti corruption and interculturalism. Before joining NDI in May 2022, Sara worked at the British Council for 6 years on regional programs on education and culture. Since her high school days, she has been engaged as a human rights activist in a number of civil society organizations. An HMC scholar, Sara received her IB diploma from Bromsgrove School in the United Kingdom, before returning to Montenegro where she completed her BA in Business English and her Spec.Sci in English language and literature. During her studies, she received the Konrad Adenauer Scholarship. Sara is currently finishing her MA in Communication and Media.