This year's highly anticipated edition of Türkiye's premier technology and aviation event, Teknofest, opened its doors to visitors on Thursday in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), bringing together thousands of tech enthusiasts, innovators and young people.
The four-day event is taking place at the old Ercan Airport in the capital, Lefkoşa (Nicosia), under the auspices of the TRNC Presidency, with leadership from the Turkish Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation) and Industry and Technology Ministry.
It is being held for the first time in the TRNC and features a packed schedule of competitions, air shows, exhibitions and workshops.
The opening ceremony of the festival was held with the participation of top Turkish and TRNC officials, including Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, the head of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) Haluk Görgün, TRNC President Ersin Tatar and Teknofest Board Chairperson Selçuk Bayraktar.
Bayraktar, in his speech at the opening, said he was honored to come together with all visitors in the brotherly nation of Turkish Cyprus.
"These ancient lands, despite all difficulties experienced throughout history, have kept hope alive," he said.
"Brother country, what a meaningful, what a deep expression. We are a big family, rooted in the same traditions, devoted to the same ideals ... We are together here today, we are not alone, you are not alone," he added.
"Today, we are building a new future with science and engineering. We declare once again in the Cyprus spring: a fully independent Türkiye in technology, a fully independent Turkish world," Bayraktar said.
Addressing the opening, Kacır, for his part, also highlighted the brotherly relations between Türkiye and the TRNC, wishing for God's mercy for the Turkish Cypriot sovereignty and freedom struggle leaders Fazıl Küçük and founding President Rauf Denktaş.
"The fact that we are holding Teknofest here in Lefkoşa, 51 years after the Cyprus Peace Operation, is a sign of the importance that Türkiye and the Turkish nation give to the Cyprus cause and a sign of the eternal Turkish presence on the island," the minister said.
The island of Cyprus has been mired in a decadeslong struggle between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the U.N. to achieve a comprehensive settlement. The TRNC is fully recognized only by Ankara.
Furthermore, pointing out that the world is going through "a period of reshaping," citing that the balance of power is changing, Kacır emphasized Türkiye's strength, which he tied not only to belief, effort and self-confidence but also to the "stamp on sky" left by Bayraktar, Hürkuş, Hürjet, Atak, Gökbey, Kaan and Kızılelma. He referred to top-notch aircraft and fighter jets developed domestically by Türkiye.
"While the world is being rebuilt, history and destiny are calling Türkiye, the Turkish nation. In this new period, we are stronger than ever," Kacır said.
"Now we have taken a step into the new era. The name of this era is 'Century of Türkiye.' The 'Century of Türkiye' is the century of the Turkish nation, the Turkish world and the TRNC," he added.
Tatar, for his part, also emphasized the significance of Teknofest being held in the TRNC for the economic and technological welfare of future generations on the island, while extending gratitude to Bayraktar for bringing the festival to Turkish Cyprus. He also recalled that the event attracted millions in previous editions in Türkiye, underlining that, in addition to the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, it was now brought to the TRNC.
Over 47,000 people from 22 countries applied to participate in this year’s competitions, with 268 teams and 1,083 finalists making it through to the final round. Of the finalists, 334 are women and 749 are men.
The competitions are divided into six main categories and 13 subcategories, highlighting innovations in aerospace, robotics, software, and other cutting-edge fields.
As every year, Teknofest TRNC also features numerous promotional and event stands.
There are 116 stands in total, including 81 stakeholder stands, 11 sponsor stands, four participating company/institution stands, and 20 food court participants.
During the festival, flight demonstrations featuring national and indigenous aerial vehicles will also be held, with Bayraktar Akıncı, Bayraktar TB2, Hürkuş, Anka, Aksungur, Gendarmerie Steel Wings, Atak helicopters, Turkish Stars, SOLOTURK and many other vehicles taking to the skies.
Organized by the T3 Foundation and the Ministry of Industry and Technology, Teknofest has been held annually since 2018, with the support of numerous government bodies, private sector partners and universities.
While the event is traditionally held in various Turkish cities in even-numbered years and in Istanbul in odd-numbered years, the TRNC has become the second international host after Azerbaijan, which welcomed Teknofest in 2022.
In 2024, the event in the southern Turkish city of Adana drew some 1.1 million visitors.
