Mario Perković has been a RED NOSES clown in Croatia since 2010 and joined the Emergency Smile International team in 2016. With a strong background in both the arts and humanitarian work, Mario brings deep compassion, creativity, and heart to his role as a clown artist.

Before joining RED NOSES, Mario led an NGO focused on children's rights and hospital-based programmes. He facilitated creative workshops for children in hospitals and worked with displaced children — including those affected by the floods in 2014 and refugee children in 2015, in collaboration with UNICEF. For his dedication, he was honoured with Croatia’s Best Volunteer Award in 2009 and the Award for the Promotion of Children’s Rights in 2015.

Mario is also a passionate illustrator and muralist, having painted uplifting artwork in children’s hospitals. When he's not clowning, he’s happily playing with his son — a role he describes as “being a full-time dad.”

He lives by the words:
'I was created to smile
To love
To be lifted up
And to lift others up.' – Hafiz