dr Vesna Pešić
Dr Vesna Pešić, sociologist. She was a senior science associate at the Institute of Philosophy and Social Theory. She is the founder of numerous peace and human rights organizations, including, in 1991, the Centre for Antiwar Action – the first antiwar organization in Serbia. She has resided at the United States Institute of Peace, founded by the US Congress in recognition of contribution to the development of democracy and civil society. Her many honors include the Award for Democracy of the U.S. National Foundation for Democracy (1993), the W. Averell Harriman Award of the U.S. National Institute for Democracy (1997) from Washington D.C., the Andrei Sakharov Award from the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Sakharov Foundation for Freedom (1997) and the City of Esslingen Human Rights Prize for political courage and sincerity (2001). She is praised as ‘”contributor in developing democracy and civil society”‘ from Institute of Peace, founded by United States Congress. In 1997, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was the President of the Civic Alliance of Serbia from 1992 to 1998, one of the leaders of the democratic coalition ‘Together’ and a member of parliament from 1993 to 1997. She has published many scientific works and has taken part in numerous scientific events in the fields of sociology, democracy and human rights in Serbia and abroad.