TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan and the Technology Team Foundation of Turkey (T3 Foundation), of which TÜBİTAK is a stakeholder, opened its doors.

The opening ceremony of the festival was attended by Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank, Azerbaijan's Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rşat Nebiyev, Presidential Defense Industry President İsmail Demir, TEKNOFEST Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar, President of TÜBİTAK Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal and senior executives of many Turkish and Azerbaijani institutions and companies.

Speaking at the opening of the event held in Baku Crystal Hall and Seaside Boulevard National Park, Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank stated that he was very pleased to be in Azerbaijan and said, "We first lit the TEKNOFEST fire in Istanbul, then carried it to Anatolia. Then, last year, when our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lit the flare by saying 'We will make TEKNOFEST an international brand', our first stop would of course be Azerbaijan. I would like to proudly express that the flare lit by our President that day has turned into a feast here today. Every year when I enter the TEKNOFEST area, I experience that excitement, enthusiasm and happiness in a different way today. Today, I rejoice not only for Turkey but also for brotherly Azerbaijan, for the Turkic world, for the Islamic world."

Pointing out that the two brotherly countries are lighting the torch of technology hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, Varank emphasized that the enthusiasm of this fire will envelop the Turkic world.

Addressing the young people in his speech, Varank said: "The young people accompanying this moment today will be the engineers, scientists and researchers who will shape the world tomorrow. If I could be in your shoes, I would lie here, I would get up here, I would examine each aircraft, each vehicle, each technology one by one, I would take notes. Yes, if necessary, I would not go home, I would sleep here. This is such a great chance to be in this area. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our esteemed President Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the Government of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, the Technology Team Foundation of Turkey and all my colleagues for making Teknofest Azerbaijan possible."

"TEKNOFEST is the best investment in people"

Pointing out that they set a goal for Turkey under the leadership of President Erdoğan, Varank said: "We said that the name of our independence story is the National Technology Move. Look, not long ago, 10-15 years ago, some countries would not sell us defense industry products, UAVs and UCAVs even with our money. They were applying all kinds of secret and open embargoes. At times, they did not even repair and maintain the products they sold. While Turkey was fighting against terrorism and terrorists, they deprived us of those technologies and products. But with the National Technology Move, we reversed this situation. The Turkish nation, to which they did not sell UAVs that day, today produces the most excellent technologies of its time. Today, those countries are waiting in line to buy the Turkish-made engineering marvels you see in this square."

Underlining that there is nothing young people cannot achieve when they are given the opportunity and shown the way, Varank said, "For this reason, TEKNOFEST is the best investment in people. Hundreds of thousands of our children experience this enthusiasm every year at the festival we have been organizing in Turkey since 2018. Our festival continues on its way by breaking its own record every year. Inshallah, Azerbaijan TEKNOFEST will be a milestone in the technology adventure of our comrades. In the first year of Azerbaijan TEKNOFEST, more than 1000 teams and nearly 6 thousand competitors applied to the competitions."

"With TEKNOFEST, we carry two victorious states into the future in the strongest way"

Stating that technological independence is the key to full political independence, Varank said, "We say this everywhere, but it has a special meaning in Azerbaijan. Because we are a nation that has suffered for many years from not being technologically independent. We never forget how Turkey was treated during the Cyprus Peace Operation and in its fight against terrorist organizations. We and our Azerbaijani comrades know very well how the world was silent in the face of the occupation and oppression in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan TEKNOFEST is the best answer to all these. That is why we are not just having a festival in Baku today. Today, we are once again shouting our independence, one nation, two states slogan to the whole world from here. With TEKNOFEST, where the seeds of domestic and national technologies are sown and which opens the horizons of our youth, we carry the two victorious states to the future in the strongest way."

Varank, who visited the stands after the opening speeches, said that they want to establish similar technoparks in Azerbaijan. Varank also stated that they will sign agreements that will contribute to the strengthening of economic relations between the two countries.

Minister Varank, Deputy Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır and TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal visited the TÜBİTAK stand. Minister Varank participated in the activities in the workshops and conducted experiments with children.

TUBITAK President participated in activities with children

TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal participated in the family photo of TEKNOFEST. At the TÜBİTAK stand, Mandal visited the painter robot workshop of science centers, the TÜRKSAT 6A satellite model workshop of UZAY, the rocket model workshop of SAGE, and tried BİLGEM's avatar.

Mandal examined the wood lathe, bristle saw machine, participated in the solar panel activity and followed the activities of the Deneyap technology workshops. Mandal, who experimented with the children together with the Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank, chatted with the children who visited the workshops.

Prof. Dr. Mandal visited the stands of the Pilotless Flight Apparatus (PUA) Competition teams, the only competition organized by TÜBİTAK within the scope of TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan. Here, he examined the UAVs designed by 14 teams, 4 of which were Turkish, participating in the PUA competition within the scope of free mission and received information. Mandal chatted with the young people and had a souvenir photo taken with them. Speaking here, Mandal said, "Compared to previous years, we have seen that the competitors undertook more challenging tasks in the UAVs they designed, with the category being "free mission". This situation made us very pleased at the point of being able to develop, produce and design technology beyond using it." Mandal chatted with the young people and had a souvenir photo taken with them.

TÜBİTAK carried the technologies it developed to Azerbaijan

Participating in TEKNOFEST with its various institutes and centers and exhibiting the technologies it has developed, TÜBİTAK brings visitors together with technology through workshops.

Within the scope of TÜBİTAK Science and Society Directorate (BİTO), science centers are taking their place in TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan with colorful workshops and activities. Antalya Science Center, Bilim Üsküdar, Elazığ Science Center, Kayseri Science Center, Kocaeli Science Center, Konya Science Center, Konya Science Center and DENEYAP Technology Workshops will carry out many activities especially for children.

TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (MAM) adds color to TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan with interesting activities in the field of life sciences.

The Defence Industry Research and Development Institute (TÜBİTAK-SAGE) plans to exhibit ammunition systems developed locally and indigenously by Turkish engineers, as well as technology workshops for children and young people. At SAGE's stand, the modular guided ammunition family KUZGUN will meet with enthusiasts. The Rocket Model Workshop and VR Virtual Reality Experience activities will also appeal to science lovers.

TÜBİTAK National Observatory (TUG) took its place in TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan with an observation event with the solar telescope.

TÜBİTAK Space Technologies Research Institute (TÜBİTAK UZAY) took its place at TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan with GÖKTÜRK-2, TÜRKSAT-6A and İMECE Satellite models to provide information to enthusiasts. In addition, a TÜRKSAT-6A satellite model making activity is also organized for children in the workshops.

Various shows and technology competitions will be held until May 29th.