Turkish tech event TEKNOFEST draws 225,000 in Lefkosa

Around 225,000 people attended TEKNOFEST, Türkiye's premier technology, aviation and space event, in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) over the weekend.

The festival, which began Thursday, was held at the old Ercan Airport in Lefkosa, the capital of the TRNC, under the auspices of that nation's presidency.

The event featured a packed schedule with competitions, air shows, exhibitions and workshops.

“TEKNOFEST is not just a technology competition. TEKNOFEST is the awakening story of a nation,” Selcuk Bayraktar, head of the event, said at the closing ceremony on Sunday.

"It is where a self-confident generation is built. This road is not easy -- there will be obstacles in front of us -- but we will never stop,” he added.

The next edition of the event will take place in Istanbul in September.

Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir said the TRNC aims to become an IT base offering services worldwide and that TEKNOFEST reflects this vision.

Organized by the Turkish Technology Team (T3) Foundation and Türkiye's Industry and Technology Ministry, TEKNOFEST has been held annually since 2018 with support from dozens of government agencies, private companies and universities.

Anadolu continues to serve as the festival's global communications partner.

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 festival in the southern Turkish city of Adana attracted approximately 1.1 million visitors.