Introduction The idea for this monograph originated after the conference“CULTURE AND SECURITY- NEW OR OLD NEXUS IN SECURITY- How to Understand and Develop the Concept of Security Culture,” held in Skopje on 7 March 2025. The event was organised with significant support from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, which recognized the importance of this topic and continues to support this project by preparing and publishing the monograph. At the con­ference, the concept of security culture was promoted in North Macedonia through the exchange of knowledge and ideas among representatives of the academic community from the Western Balkans region(Bosnia& Herzegovi ­na, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia). Numerous debates have been initiated over the past few decades with re­gard to security studies aimed at understanding the influence of culture on security. The conference provided an excellent platform where participants highlighted the creative, open, and communicative dimensions of culture, the broad scope of the security concept and various topics linking culture and security. As a result of high-quality discussions and exchange of diverse approaches and ideas regarding the concept of culture and its influence on security studies culminating in the development of the new concept of se­curity culture the idea to prepare this monograph was conceived. Our goal is to document these insights and create space for further activities that will deepen this topic and involve more scholars and practitioners in the dis­course on security culture. This is a challenging, yet inspiring field, valuable both for empirical research and for the development of theory concerning this phenomenon. In today’s world, where the security and stability of societies increasingly rely on deep-rooted norms and values, understanding the relationship be­tween culture and security becomes crucial for shaping effective security strategies. This monograph focuses on presenting the concept of securi­ty culture, as a complex set of values, beliefs and behaviours that shape the approach to security in the societies of Serbia and North Macedonia. 16 NATIONAL SECURITY CULTURES- A VIEW FROM THE BALKANS