Newsroom
Aviation, drones, and digital dreams took over the old Ercan Airport in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus on Wednesday as TEKNOFEST, a major technology and aviation festival organized by Turkey, officially opened its doors for the first time on the island.
Running from May 1 to 4, the festival is coordinated by Turkey’s Ministry of Industry and Technology and the Türkiye Technology Team Foundation (T3), under the auspices of the Turkish Cypriot leadership. TEKNOFEST brands itself as the world’s largest aerospace and technology event and has drawn tens of thousands of visitors since day one.
The opening ceremony was attended by Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Turkish officials, with over 60,000 people reportedly visiting the site on the first day alone. The event features a wide variety of activities: from planetarium screenings and air shows by the Turkish Stars and SOLOTURK, to workshops for children, simulation games, and exhibits showcasing emerging tech.
Among the most visited areas is the “Cyprus Peace Operation Experience Zone,” an interactive exhibit referencing the 1974 Turkish invasion. The space offers a symbolic simulation of the operation, raising concerns among some that the event also carries a narrative of political messaging.
TEKNOFEST, now in its 8th year, marks one of the largest public displays of Turkey’s national technology ambitions outside its borders. In speeches, Turkish officials emphasized the expansion of their tech vision beyond the mainland, presenting the event as a symbol of unity and strength within the broader Turkic world.
“The Century of Turkey will also be the century of the Turkic world,” said Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir. TEKNOFEST, he added, represents “a generation that invents, develops, and is self-confident.”
T3 Foundation Chair Selcuk Bayraktar also struck an emotional tone, urging young people to believe in their ability to “fly in their own skies,” while Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar framed the festival as an expression of self-reliance and sovereignty.
While the scale and scope of the event are noteworthy, the use of occupied Cypriot territory for such a high-profile Turkish-led initiative inevitably raises questions for the wider public. For many in the Republic of Cyprus, the political and symbolic weight of such an event cannot be overlooked, particularly in a context where efforts toward reunification remain stalled.
*With information from Teknofest.org
