About

NarativAI is a regional non-governmental organization operating across the Balkans, focused on media innovation, capacity building, and research in journalism and storytelling.

VISION

We envision a resilient and forward-looking media ecosystem in the Balkans, one where journalists can innovate freely, audiences are better informed, and technology supports rather than replaces human creativity, accountability and professional values.

MISSION

Our mission is to strengthen independent journalism and support media transformation in the Balkans through innovation, ethical storytelling and the responsible use of technology.

The NarativAI Team

Aleksandar Manasiev

Untitled design
President and Founder of NarativAI

Vesna Ivanovska-Ilievska

Vesna
Chair of the Supervisory Board

Milena Atanasoska Manasieva

Milena
Project Manager

Darko Dimkovski

Darko
AI Systems & Technology Lead

Mirko Trajanovski

Mirko
Media & Public Engagement Lead

Elena Petkovska Gjorgjievska

Elena
Fundraising & Outreach

NarativAI in the Region

Values

Gentiana Paçarizi

Gentiana
Regional Expert – Kosovo

Amina Bijelonja Muminović

Amina Bijelonja Muminović
Regional Expert – Bosnia and Herzegovina

Orsolya Seregély

Orsolya
Regional Expert – Serbia/Hungary

Lorin Kadiu

Lorin Kadiu
Regional expert - Albania

Jona Cenameri

Jona Cenameri
Investigative Researcher - Albania

Integrity

We promote ethical, transparent and responsible journalism.

Independence

We support journalism that serves communities, not interests.

Collaboration

We bring together regional voices, organizations and creators to build shared solutions.

Innovation

We embrace new tools, formats and technologies, especially AI, mobile and visual storytelling.

Accessibility

Knowledge, training and resources should be available to everyone.

Public interest

Everything we do strengthens informed, democratic societies.

What we do

NarativAI develops practical, future-ready programs designed for the evolving needs of journalists and media organizations. Our work includes:

  • AI-assisted workflows for reporting, verification and content creation
  • Multiplatform production practices and newsroom strategy
  • Mobile journalism (MoJo) training and advanced visual storytelling
  • Media literacy, ethical standards and responsible technology use
  • Investigative and data storytelling support
  • Multimedia production: video, short-form, podcasting, digital narratives
  • Regional workshops, fellowships and professional exchanges
  • Research, studies and publications on media innovation and digital transformation

How we work

We blend hands-on learning, strategic mentoring, and practical experimentation. Our approach is:

  • Mobile-first and audience-centered
  • Collaborative, involving teams, newsrooms and cross-border partners
  • Evidence-based, built on research and analytics
  • Flexible and adaptive to emerging tools, platforms and technologies
  • Ethically grounded, aligning innovation with professional principles

Whether we work with individual journalists or entire newsrooms, our goal is to build capacities that last.

Who we work with

We collaborate with:

  • Journalists and editors
  • Media organizations and newsrooms
  • Students and educators
  • Civil society groups
  • Regional and international partners
  • Innovation hubs and tech communities
  • Public institutions involved in media development

Our programs are open to both experienced professionals and emerging creators from across the Balkans.

Impact

Through training, mentoring, research and long-term newsroom support, NarativAI helps:

  • elevate the quality and visibility of public-interest journalism
  • strengthen multiplatform and mobile storytelling capabilities
  • introduce ethical AI tools into everyday reporting
  • support youth participation and media literacy
  • build more flexible, sustainable newsroom practices
  • stimulate regional cooperation on pressing media issues

Our work already contributes to a growing network of innovators shaping the future of journalism in the region.

Together, We Move Journalism Forward

Whether you're a newsroom, journalist, student, educator, or partner organization, NarativAI offers tools, knowledge, and support to help you innovate, responsibly, creatively, and with impact.
👉 Collaborate with us. Learn with us. Innovate with us. Let’s shape the future of storytelling together.
About cov
Untitled design

President and Founder of NarativAI

Aleksandar Manasiev is the President and Founder of NarativAI – Center for Media Innovations in the Balkans, an award-winning journalist, media consultant, trainer, and mentor with more than 20 years of experience across print, TV, and digital media.

His expertise includes mobile journalism, digital and multiplatform storytelling, UGC verification, combating disinformation, and emerging trends in journalism. He has trained over 500 media professionals across the Western Balkans and beyond.

Aleksandar is a PhD candidate in Media and Communication, researching the use of Artificial Intelligence in journalism. His work has been recognized with prestigious honors, including the Jean Monnet Award for EU reporting and the Nikola Mladenov Award for Most Innovative Journalistic Product.

Vesna

Chair of the Supervisory Board

Vesna Ivanovska-Ilievska is a journalist and editor with more than 20 years of professional experience in reporting on culture, education, and science. She began her career in 2000 at the daily newspaper Dnevnik, where she specialized in cultural heritage and visual and multimedia arts. After the newspaper’s closure, she continued her work at Fakulteti.mk, focusing on developments in education and research in North Macedonia. In 2021, she co-founded UMNO, an independent media platform dedicated to art, science, and education, where she has led over 15 projects in culture, media training, creative industries, and ethical AI use in digital media. She holds a degree in Art History and Archaeology from Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.

Milena

Project Manager

Milena Atanasoska Manasieva is a communications and digital marketing professional with strong experience in media, public relations, and strategic storytelling. With a background in journalism and advanced skills in marketing, she creates clear, impactful, and audience-focused communication across platforms.

Her expertise includes digital marketing, content creation, media relations, and multimedia storytelling. Milena has extensive experience producing press materials, social media content, newsletters, and editorial pieces, supported by strong analytical and strategic planning abilities.

She is committed to strengthening public communication, supporting media literacy, and using digital tools to enhance transparency and civic engagement.

Darko

AI Systems & Technology Lead

With more than a decade of experience in IT and cybersecurity, he brings a comprehensive and practical understanding of how technology shapes modern digital ecosystems. He has led engineering teams and overseen the integration of AI into daily workflows, strategic planning, and complex problem-solving, giving him first-hand insight into how intelligent systems impact operations, security, and digital risk. His work centers on strengthening digital resilience and leveraging technology to build efficient, reliable, transparent, and secure information systems.

With more than a decade of experience in IT and cybersecurity, he brings a comprehensive and practical understanding of how technology shapes modern digital ecosystems. He has led engineering teams and overseen the integration of AI into daily workflows, strategic planning, and complex problem-solving, giving him first-hand insight into how intelligent systems impact operations, security, and digital risk. His work centers on strengthening digital resilience and leveraging technology to build efficient, reliable, transparent, and secure information systems.

Mirko

Media & Public Engagement Lead

Mirko Trajanovski is a journalist and communications specialist with more than 20 years of experience working with media, international organizations, companies, and civil society. He has strong expertise in strategic communication, public awareness campaigns, and media relations, and currently works as a communications consultant on national and regional projects.

His work spans social impact themes such as gender-based violence, youth issues, safer internet use, anti-corruption, public finance, and environmental protection. Mirko has supported numerous training programs for journalists and civil-society actors, helping them communicate responsibly on sensitive topics.

He is passionate about storytelling across formats, from written content and social media campaigns to video production, and is the co-author of three documentary films.

Elena

Fundraising & Outreach

Elena is a senior communications and outreach professional with over 20 years of experience in media, strategic communications, public relations, and regional cooperation in the Western Balkans. She brings strong expertise in donor communication, stakeholder engagement, visibility, and network building.

From 2013 to 2025, she worked at the European Fund for the Balkans, most recently as Communications Manager, leading external communication and outreach across regional and EU networks, and coordinating the beeEFB Alumni Network. She has extensive experience working with international organizations, civil society, and media, supporting programme communication, community building, and strategic positioning.

Elena holds a BA in Philology (Slavic, Spanish, and British Studies) from the University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje and an MA in Communications, Advertising, and Public Relations from the Faculty of Media and Communication in Belgrade. She is fluent in English, Spanish, and B/C/S, with basic knowledge of French and German.

Gentiana

Regional Expert – Kosovo

Gentiana Paçarizi is a media researcher specializing in information disorder and digital media ecosystems. She is currently the Managing Editor at Kosovo 2.0, where she leads editorial strategy and oversees explanatory and contextual journalism. She also works extensively with AI tools in the newsroom and is engaged in exploring their role across media ecosystems.

Amina Bijelonja Muminović

Regional Expert – Bosnia and Herzegovina

Amina Bijelonja Muminović is a journalist with 15 years of experience. She previously worked as a multimedia reporter for Voice of America, producing stories from across Bosnia and Herzegovina for broadcast in Washington. Her earlier roles include editor and journalist at Radiosarajevo.ba, as well as reporting positions at Klix.ba, Federalna.ba, and several radio outlets. She is currently a reporter at the Federal News Agency (FENA).

Her expertise spans writing, TV and radio reporting, and audio-video production. Amina holds a Master’s degree in Communications and Public Relations and a Bachelor’s in Journalism from the University of Sarajevo. Amina’s professional strength lies in clear storytelling, strong multimedia skills, and her ability to communicate socially relevant issues to broad audiences.

Orsolya

Regional Expert – Serbia/Hungary

Orsolya Seregély is a junior associate at The Fix Research & Advisory, where she works on media development projects. Previously, she worked as a journalist in Serbia and Hungary, reporting on social issues, politics, and minority communities. She also has experience in podcast editing and production. 

Lorin Kadiu

Regional expert - Albania

Lorin Kadiu  is a media professional with over a decade of experience in journalism and media leadership. He is the Executive Director of Citizens.al in Tirana, where he leads investigative and community-driven journalism focused on ethics, inclusion, and underreported public-interest issues. He has extensive international experience, collaborating with U.S. and EU-based organizations on media integrity, capacity building, and innovation. 

His work spans multimedia production, podcasting, and documentary storytelling, alongside training and mentoring journalists in innovative and digital reporting. Lorin serves as a board member of the Albanian Alliance for Ethical Media and Community Reporters Albania, and is recognized for excellence in investigative storytelling in Southeast Europe.  

Jona Cenameri

Investigative Researcher – Albania

Jona Cenameri holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communication from the University of Tirana and is currently pursuing an MSc in Management of Mass Communication at the same institution. She is a fact-checking and investigative journalist at Faktoje.al, where she verifies public claims and produces investigative reporting to counter misinformation and strengthen public accountability.
 
Her professional background includes investigative, in-depth, and cross-border journalism, as well as media analysis and research. She has worked with organizations such as Thomson Media, BIRN Kosovo, CFI (Canal France International), IDMC (Institute for Democracy, Media and Culture), and ACQJ (Albanian Center for Quality Journalism).