President Erdoğan Speaks at TEKNOFEST Event in Şanlıurfa
Addressing youth at the TEKNOFEST Southeast events in Şanlıurfa, President Erdoğan discussed Turkey's successes in the defense industry and noted the high turnout at the festival.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed participants at the TEKNOFEST 2026 Southeast events held at Şanlıurfa GAP Airport, making important evaluations regarding Turkey's technology and defense initiatives.
Mining Incident in Soma
In his speech, President Erdoğan wished God's mercy upon the miners who lost their lives in the mining collapse that occurred on Thursday in Soma, and wished a speedy recovery to the 2 miners still undergoing treatment.
Stating that 9 people have been detained regarding the incident and that the investigation is being carried out comprehensively, Erdoğan stated that those responsible will definitely be held accountable.
TEKNOFEST Southeast Participation
Sharing the high interest in the TEKNOFEST event held in Şanlıurfa, Erdoğan reported that 730,000 teams and over 1,600,000 contestants applied to the organization.
Stating that the number of visitors to the event is approaching 1 million, the President announced that participants from a total of 97 different countries, in addition to all 81 provinces of Turkey, took part.
Meeting of History and Technology
Drawing attention to Şanlıurfa's deep-rooted historical and cultural accumulation such as Göbeklitepe, President Erdoğan emphasized that they are bringing together this accumulation of the past with today's youth and the technologies of the future.
Current Status in the Defense Industry
Mentioning domestic and national defense industry products such as KIZILELMA, KAAN, and GÖKBEY, Erdoğan stated that Turkey has broken free from foreign dependency.
Stating that Turkey has risen to the 11th country in the world in defense industry product exports, the President noted that the country's future is in safe hands.