Türkiye invests everything in its youth, President Erdogan says at Teknofest

The Turkish youth is inclined towards science, technology, research and development, and the state is investing all resources in them, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, speaking at the country's premier technology and aerospace event Teknofest.

"The scene we witnessed at Teknofest shows we have made a fruitful investment," Erdogan said on Friday as he addressed the event in Ankara, adding that in today's era the value of a person is assessed by their skills and productivity.

"We are making our youth competitive with national technology events such as Teknofest," he said, noting that the Turkish youth is now able to send missiles into space.

Türkiye's industry and technology minister on Friday also emphasised the unique impact of Teknofest on the country's image while speaking to reporters at the event.

Mehmet Fatih Kacır said while there are more populous countries like India and China, as well as nations more advanced in technology, rocket science, and space technologies than Türkiye, none of them host such an event.

"Hundreds of thousands of young people do not develop projects in these areas, nor do they establish a technology startup. The fact that we are pioneering such a unique endeavour in the world significantly enhances Türkiye's global image," Kacır said.

2024 plans for Teknofest

This year's Teknofest was planned in three cities to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Türkiye.

The event was held in Istanbul in May and welcomed a world record of 2.5 million visitors. The third edition will take place in the Aegean city of Izmir from September 27 to October 1.

The second edition in Ankara began on Wednesday and runs through Sunday, showcasing a broad range of high-end technological innovations. It features exhibitions, workshops, airshows, competitions, and seminars.

The event has been organised by the Turkish Technology Team (T3) Foundation and the Turkish Industry and Technology Ministry jointly since 2018, in cooperation with dozens of ministries, public institutions, private firms, and universities.

Technology minister Kacır said Teknofest organisers are currently in discussions with several countries to host another international edition of the event abroad. The first international edition of the event was held in Azerbaijan last year.

"We definitely want to organize an event in KKTC. It is very important for us," said the minister, using the Turkish initials of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.