Actor, Needs Map Co-founder
Mert Fırat is a Turkish actor, public figure, patron, and an inspirational activist. Firat started his college studies in Stockholm, Sweden on filming and completed his undergraduate degree on Theatre Studies in Ankara, Turkey at Ankara University (DTCF). He earned his Masters degree on Film and Drama Studies from Kadir Has University in Istanbul, Turkey.
He has been on stage since his early university years. He is the founding partner of three theatre venues: DasDas and Moda Sahnesi in Istanbul and Sanat Mahal in Bursa. He is currently performing in “Joseph K”, “Deli Bayramı”, “Westend”, “Cyrano” and “Bütün Çılgınlar Sever Beni”. He has directed several plays including “Deli Bayramı”, “Timsah”, “Dünya Yerinden Oynar” and adapted plays including “Timsah”, “Joseph K” and “Benimle Dans Eder Misin”.
He has been awarded several awards both in Turkey and around the world including his performances on the following movies: “Kelebeğin Rüyası”, “Bir Varmış Bir Yokmuş”, “Atlıkarınca” and “Başka Dilde Aşk”. He is also the co-scriptwriter for “Başka Dilde Aşk”, “Atlıkarınca”, “Bir Varmış Bir Yokmuş” and “Erkek Tarafı”.
Fırat works voluntarily with several associations and foundations -both local and global- targeting social development. He is the co-founder of the award winning “NEEDSMAP” initiative. Needsmap works hand in hand with many other social impact initiatives, foundations, municipalities, the government and the civil sector. Needsmap; with over ninety thousand members and over ten thousand volunteers has several ongoing widespread campaigns including ‘One Rent One Scene’, ‘One Rent One Home’, ‘Reading for the Future’, and ‘Book on Map’.
Mert Firat is the United Nations Development Program’s (UNDP) first Goodwill Ambassador in Turkey. He has been working with UNDP on the “global goals” since 2017.
He is also an Ashoka Fellow.
His business fields rank widely; including the Turkish ticketing company “Mobilet” to “X Media” – the first digital art museum in Turkey; Fırat being the co-founder in both ventures. He is again the co-founder and in the board of the Theatre Coop and Inogar: a Turkish based social development Coop working in several countries.
