Various member states articulate their definitions of security culture through official documents and scholarly research. For example, Romania’s Nation­al Defence Strategy for 2015-2019 and 2020-2024 defines security culture as“the totality of values, norms, attitudes, or actions that shape society’s understanding and internalization of the concept of security and its deriva­tives(national security, international security, collective security, insecurity, security policy, etc.). It is a concept related to the need to generate security both as a citizen or community and as a state therefore a matter of civili­zation, humanity, and social normality”(National Defence Strategy Guide, 2015). Finally, the conference in North Macedonia(Skopje) in March 2025 under­scored the importance of recognizing the role of security culture within the Western Balkans region. It highlighted its significance in national frame­works, security policies, and strategies(Mitrevska, Stanarević, 2023). This publication represents the first substantial step toward understanding and accepting this concept as a new security paradigm, one that, by acknowl­edging the complexity of relationships and communication among coun­tries in the region, provides a solid foundation for restructuring and trans­forming security approaches in a positive direction. Key Findings of Chapter I In conclusion, the exploration of the concepts of culture, security, and se­curity culture reveals their intricate interconnections and the vital role they play in shaping both individual and collective responses to security chal­lenges, risks and threats. The reflection on these themes underscores the importance of understanding security not only as a set of protective meas­ures but also as a cultural phenomenon embedded within societal norms, values, and practices. The need for developing the concept of security culture arises from the com­prehensive integration of security and the rapid increase in the complexity of security challenges. Totalization of security means that security-related issues, problems, and aspects become more interconnected and visible in all spheres of life. The concept of security culture has both analytical and normative dimensions: it explores the factors that contribute to enhancing security and identifies socio-political and economic relations that are most likely to generate maximum security for individuals, groups, nation-states, and the entire world. The key challenge is developing the ability to un­Chapter 1 – Security Culture as a Concept Synthesized From the Terms Culture and Security 55