ANKARA

The Turkish youth is inclined towards science, technology, research and development, and the state is investing all resources in its development, the Turkish president said on Friday as he attended TEKNOFEST, the country's premier technology and aerospace event being held in Ankara. 

"The scene we witnessed at TEKNOFEST shows we have made a fruitful investment," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, adding that in today's era the value of a person is assessed by their skills and productivity.

"We are making our youth competitive with national technology events such as TEKNOFEST," he said, noting that the Turkish youth is now able to send missiles into space.

Türkiye now has drones and fighter jets, and the dark times have been left behind, the Turkish leader said, adding that this year's TEKNOFEST was planned in three cities to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Türkiye.

The event was held in Istanbul in May, welcoming 2.5 million visitors, which is a world record, and will be organized in the Aegean city of Izmir on Sept. 27-Oct. 1.

In Ankara it began on Wednesday and runs through Sunday, showcasing a broad range of high-end technological innovations. It features exhibitions, workshops, airshows, competitions, and seminars.

The event has been organized by the T3 Foundation and the Turkish Industry and Technology Ministry jointly since 2018, in cooperation with dozens of ministries, public institutions, private firms, and universities.