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From All Corners of the World to the Heart of Technology: YTB Youth at TEKNOFEST
Cumartesi, Ekim 3, 2026
The Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) brought together international students studying in Türkiye, Turkish youth living abroad, and participants of the Türkiye Internships Program with the technology ecosystem at TEKNOFEST Southeast. YTB President Abdulhadi Turus stated, “Today, a child here dreams of space studies or developing an aircraft. We need to understand and convey the difference created by TEKNOFEST very well.”
Organized in Şanlıurfa, TEKNOFEST Southeast the world's largest aviation, space, and technology festival—brought together young people studying in various countries around the world alongside Türkiye.
At the YTB booth featured in the festival, while young people from different programs of the Presidency met, teams formed by or including international students studying in Türkiye also participated in TEKNOFEST competitions with the projects they developed.
Participants of the Türkiye Internships Program, conducted for Turkish youth living abroad, also found the opportunity to closely get to know Türkiye’s technology and defense industry ecosystem at the festival.
“TEKNOFEST Transforms Children's Imagination”
In his evaluation regarding TEKNOFEST to Anadolu Agency, YTB President Abdulhadi Turus drew attention to the importance the festival carries, especially in terms of the future vision of children and youth.
Referring to the words in the folk songs of Şanlıurfa, “My pasha has come to Urfa,” Turus expressed: “Now, TEKNOFEST has come to Urfa. Every child here will perhaps dream of space studies or developing a new aircraft in the future.”
Stating that TEKNOFEST opens new horizons for young people in the field of technology, Turus continued as follows:
“25 years ago, what were these children dreaming of? Today, however, they see the aircraft produced, the technologies developed, and the projects presented by the youth right before their eyes. Therefore, we must understand and explain the difference created by TEKNOFEST very well.”
Türkiye Internships Crowned with TEKNOFEST
Turkish youth living abroad who participated in YTB’s Türkiye Internships Program also took part in the festival.
Within the scope of the Türkiye Internships Program, 109 young people from 11 countries this year completed internships at Türkiye’s leading technology and defense industry institutions, gaining direct experience in diverse fields ranging from engineering to software, and from R&D to production processes.
Emphasizing that completing the program with TEKNOFEST was a deliberate choice, Turus noted that the young people living abroad are studying at prominent universities in their countries of residence, stating:
Emphasizing that completing the program with TEKNOFEST was a deliberate choice, Turus noted that the young people living abroad are studying at prominent universities in their countries of residence, stating:
“These young friends are highly qualified members of our Turkish presence living abroad. They continue their education at prominent universities in the countries where they reside. We bring them to Türkiye and enable them to intern at our country's technology and defense industry institutions. However, we do not stop there; we crown this experience with TEKNOFEST.”
Having gained direct work experience at Türkiye’s pioneering institutions during their internships, the youth also obtained the opportunity to see the technology ecosystem of which they became a part from a broader perspective at TEKNOFEST. In addition to examining new technologies and projects, the young participants came together with entrepreneurs, engineers, students, and various institutions.
Turus expressed that the young people did not merely gain technical experience in Türkiye, but also closely experienced the approach behind Türkiye’s determination to produce technology.
Turus expressed that the young people did not merely gain technical experience in Türkiye, but also closely experienced the approach behind Türkiye’s determination to produce technology.
International Students at TEKNOFEST with Their Projects
Another significant area of YTB’s participation at TEKNOFEST was formed by international students studying in Türkiye.
Coming to Türkiye for education from different countries across the globe, international students participated in TEKNOFEST competitions with teams they formed or joined at their universities. By displaying the projects they developed, the youth carried the academic knowledge they acquired throughout their education in Türkiye into technology production.
Thus, YTB’s efforts at TEKNOFEST brought two different youth mobility initiatives together on the same platform. While international students studying in Türkiye develop projects within Türkiye’s technology ecosystem, Turkish youth living abroad gain professional experience within the same ecosystem through the Türkiye Internships.
“We Are Building a Strong Engineering Network”
Expressing that one of the long-term goals of the Türkiye Internships Program is to strengthen professional ties among qualified youth living abroad, Turus pointed out the importance of young engineers raised in different countries meeting one another in Türkiye.
Turus evaluated: “We are building a strong engineering network among our citizens living abroad. At the same time, we bring together young people with strong ties to Türkiye within this network. We place great importance on these relationships established today transforming into academic, technological, and professional collaborations tomorrow.”
Turus evaluated: “We are building a strong engineering network among our citizens living abroad. At the same time, we bring together young people with strong ties to Türkiye within this network. We place great importance on these relationships established today transforming into academic, technological, and professional collaborations tomorrow.”
Underlining that they make no distinction between citizens living abroad and citizens living in Türkiye, Turus noted that YTB continues its efforts toward the academic and professional development of young people with this understanding.
TEKNOFEST Southeast thus brought together international students studying in Türkiye and competing with their projects on one hand, and Turkish youth raised in various countries gaining experience at Türkiye’s technology and defense industry institutions on the other, within the very same technology ecosystem.
TEKNOFEST Southeast thus brought together international students studying in Türkiye and competing with their projects on one hand, and Turkish youth raised in various countries gaining experience at Türkiye’s technology and defense industry institutions on the other, within the very same technology ecosystem.
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