TEKNOFEST Leader Stresses Role of AI and Ethics in Building a Just Future at TRNC Edition
Lefkosa, The Gulf Observer: The head of Türkiye’s flagship technology and aviation festival, TEKNOFEST, has underlined the transformative potential of high technology and artificial intelligence (AI), calling for its alignment with ethical values to build a more humane and equitable global future.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of TEKNOFEST TRNC at the old Ercan Airport in Lefkosa, Selçuk Bayraktar, Chair of the TEKNOFEST Board of Trustees and leading Turkish technologist, said AI, when guided by a strong ethical compass, could lead to profound innovations in healthcare, equitable education, and improved quality of life.
“AI, combined with the right purpose and values, can provide humanity with a much better future,” Bayraktar stated. He stressed that the world is currently facing moral decline, referencing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “A great crime against humanity, a genocide, is taking place right next to us. Children are being bombed in Gaza,” he said. “This darkness can only be removed by the light of truth. A world in which technology can be used to promote justice and compassion must be established.”
Highlighting the strategic and symbolic importance of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Bayraktar described the region not only as a symbol of historic struggle but also as a future hub for innovation and science. “The TRNC should be visited not just for its natural beauty but also for science, technology, and production,” he declared, adding that the country must become “a global centre of attraction for technology and science in the heart of the Mediterranean.”
Bayraktar envisioned the TRNC as a cradle of innovation. “New ideas should be born in the TRNC. R&D should develop here, and projects that will leave their mark on the world should emerge from here,” he said. “The TRNC is the island of peace. It guarantees peace, security, and brotherhood in the Mediterranean.”
Organised by the Turkish Technology Team (T3) Foundation and Türkiye’s Ministry of Industry and Technology, TEKNOFEST has been held annually since 2018 with broad participation from public institutions, private sector stakeholders, and universities. Anadolu Agency continues to serve as the event’s global communications partner.
Typically held in various Turkish cities during even-numbered years and in Istanbul during odd-numbered years, the TRNC is now the second international host of TEKNOFEST, following Azerbaijan’s hosting of the 10th edition. Earlier in 2024, the festival in Adana drew more than 1.1 million attendees.
Innovation Island Vision
Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, speaking at the event, echoed Bayraktar’s vision, calling for collaborative efforts to transform the TRNC into an “innovation island.”
“With over 100,000 university students and its unique natural and cultural wealth, this land can become a centre for IT and technology ventures serving the world,” Kacır said. “The excitement of 47,000 young people participating in six competitions at this TEKNOFEST is the harbinger of a bright future.”
Haluk Görgün, President of Türkiye’s Defence Industries Agency, emphasised the importance of technological self-sufficiency, particularly in defence. “We are a country that knows the pain of foreign dependence very well,” he said. “TEKNOFEST has become our nation’s most important platform for discovery, enabling us to uncover the talent of our youth—our greatest national treasure.”
TEKNOFEST TRNC continues to showcase Türkiye’s and the TRNC’s commitment to advancing youth innovation, technological independence, and the responsible use of high-impact technologies for global good.
