Bojan Milovanović

 

Along with a group of friends (young people who want to do some particular things related to various themes including protecting the environment and promoting a healthy lifestyle and culture in its universal meaning), Bojan Milovanović established a NGO called “GM Optimist” in January 2008. Since then he has received grants for and managed 24 different projects, including advocacy, campaigns, volunteer events in the field, etc. For the last three years he has been very active in addressing the problem of managing e-waste in his community and increasing the level of recycling in general. Promotion of volunteerism is also an important part of his work (and life).

The project “Let it be clean” (which involved e.g. cleaning dumpsites in natural areas, planting trees, lectures by experts, making wooden trash bins) was supported by BCIF and awarded second place in “The Most Positive Project of Citizens’ Initiatives” competition in Serbia in 2008. The competition was initiated by the Jefferson Institute.

Bojan is interested in various sports (football, cycling, bowling), hiking, a healthy lifestyle, fishing and humanitarian work.

Organization: ´GM Optimist´, Serbia

Gornji Milanovac is a small municipality in Serbia that started a sustainable waste management system eight years ago. With the help of the Norwegian government the municipality built a sanitary landfill and initiated waste separation. Since then the concept has been abandoned and the landfill has filled up much faster than anticipated, which will lead to environmental, economic and social problems in the future. My plan is to introduce the public to the possible scenarios that may develop if we don’t do something about it! I’m going to make a documentary film, bringing together local actors to initiate debate and make concrete proposals to improve the local recycling system. Because it is still not too late to act!