Nikola Krstić currently works at The Fortress Movement, which he co-founded in 2018. He received a scholarship from the Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia as a student of the Faculty of Political Sciences (FPN) in Belgrade. He has also enrolled in a master's degree in sociology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade. In 2012, he interned with the European Movement in Serbia and has been working with the Initiative for a Democratic Society, launched by FPN students, since he helped to co-found it in 2013. 

Nikola also has experience in the field of healthy food entrepreneurship, the production and distribution of food and drink, and as an author. He has managed several projects in partnership with the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development, the Balkan Trust for Democracy and the Global Initiative against International Organized Crime. His professional interests include political theory and philosophy, elections and electoral systems and the relationship between ecology and politics. Nikola has served as a participant and speaker at numerous seminars, conferences and forums across Serbia. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Aeroguard

Nikola launched Aeroguard, an internet platform aimed at strengthening the knowledge and skills of environmental activists. Covering regions such as Podunavlie and Branicevo, with focused monitoring in Smederevo, Bor, and Majdanek, Aeroguard serves as a centralized hub for gathering essential information and documentation.

Through social media outreach, Nikola's project garnered significant attention, while directly educating participants on environmental protection. Environmental activists benefited from training workshops conducted by experts from the National Ecological Association, fostering a network for ongoing communication, experience exchange, and coordinated action. Joint events organized by Nikola facilitated collaborative problem-solving among activists, leading to the development of actionable solutions for common environmental challenges. This collaborative spirit persisted beyond the project's timeline, culminating in a joint protest against pollution in the Bor district.

Nikola's advocacy extended to international platforms, including a speech at the United Nations in Geneva, where he highlighted environmental issues in Serbia, particularly in Smederevo. His engagement with European Commission officials and other international institutions further amplified the project's impact, demonstrating the potential of grassroots initiatives to drive broader environmental discourse and action.

 

"I hope that with this award we will further strengthen the civil sector in Serbia and thus increase the capacity of active citizens locally." - Nikola Krstić

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Nikola was a participant in the IVLP Project The Climate Crisis: Working Together for Future Generations, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center.

Nikola's exchange experience led to the development of his IVLP Impact Award Project: "The IVLP program was very inspiring because I met a lot of quality people from different sectors who influenced my inspiration, especially the series of meetings I had in Washington."

U.S. Communities Visited

San Diego, CA; Washington, DC; Miami, FL; Burlington, VT

Country: Serbia

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