Information
Technologies and Communications Authority personnel gathered for the traditional iftar dinner.
President Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Board Members, Department Heads, and BTK employees attended the iftar dinner held at the BTK Central Campus. After the iftar, President Sayan addressed the employees, saying, “On this happy day when we come together under the roof of our institution and feel the spirit of unity and togetherness of Ramadan, I greet you all with respect and affection. I congratulate your blessed Ramadan, the month in which our holy book, the Quran, which guides all humanity on the right path, was revealed, and I wish to attain its blessings. I pray to Allah that this blessed month brings goodness to our country and nation. On this occasion, I hope we all reach both Laylat al-Qadr and Eid al-Fitr together in health and well-being. On the other hand, I also pray to the Almighty God to help our Muslim brothers and sisters in the Islamic world who are forced to spend these days under oppression.”
At the beginning of his speech, Sayan congratulated the employees who were transitioned to permanent worker positions in accordance with Decree-Law No. 696, and continued, “As you all know, communication technologies are becoming a dominant factor affecting all sectors and hold an important place in our country's security. Given this position, with the increase in advanced technology capacity, production capabilities, and employment environments through communication, it ranks first among the sectors with the widest basin in Turkey. As the Information Technologies and Communications Authority, we are conducting our work with this critical awareness.”
Sayan, who mentioned that they have hosted many events in a short time, listed the activities as follows:
· Our Safe Internet Center, as you know, has been continuing its activities for a long time, and we see that usage rates are increasing day by day.
· With the “Digital Games Workshop” we organized, we discussed the pros and cons of the gaming sector, which is gaining momentum in Turkey and has great potential, how its negative aspects can be eliminated, together with experts in the field.
· In the Safe Internet field again, we held a "snap-and-send" video contest and award ceremony among middle school and high school youth. It was quite enjoyable to host our youth here with the participation of our Minister.
· We launched our Cyber Star competition here. More than 27,000 young people applied. We competed online with more than 10,000 of them. They truly made us proud. Our call in the cybersecurity field spread like wildfire. After us, many institutions started various events for young people in this field. We experienced the rightful joy of creating both public awareness and serious awareness. We should also mention the award ceremony of the Cyber Star competition. In our event attended by our Minister, we embraced our youth who said "I'M IN TOO!" in the cybersecurity field. We set out together. Some started working with us. On the other hand, we continue to contribute to their education on various occasions.
· Beyond that, we continue on our way with events like Hacktrick, Esafe, Locard. We see all these events as important and milestone works on the path to the future, given the areas they fill.
· Again, I think our "Automotive Workshop on the Road to 5G" is one of the colorful and inaugural works. We also had the opportunity to test smart cars at the beginner level.
· To be among the pioneering countries transitioning to 5G, we held the “5GTR Forum Workshop.” Again, with the “5G Valley Open Test Field Project” related to 5G, we signed a value-adding work for our country through collaborations with universities and our operators. The “5G and Beyond Joint Postgraduate Support Program Memorandum of Understanding,” which we signed before iftar, is one of these important steps.
· On the other hand, both as an institution and personally, we prioritize domestic and national production. We are the encourager, supporter, and follower of production especially in critical points of hardware and software. In this context, one of the most important conditions of the tender for 4.5G services is the obligation for operators to meet up to 45% of the products used in their networks with domestically certified goods. As you know, artificial intelligence is emerging as an increasingly important topic.
· In the “Artificial Intelligence Turkey Conference” we organized, we discussed the developments artificial intelligence has undergone in recent years.
· As an institution, we host large organizations. One of them was the 12th International Electronic Communications Regulators Conference. This organization, where we hosted presidents of regulatory authorities from different countries and numerous sector representatives, passed in a festive atmosphere.
· On the other hand, on May 17, World Telecommunication Day, with the participation of our Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication, ULAK, our first domestically designed and produced 4.5G base station, was put into service within the scope of Universal Service.
Emphasizing that they have carried out many more works as a team, Sayan said, “We continue our efforts in line with the 2023 targets disciplined by our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. I thank all my colleagues who contributed their hands, labor, and intellectual support to the works done. I believe these efforts will illuminate the coming years and open the way for this country.”
Also emphasizing that changing and transforming information technologies make our lives easier, Sayan said, “I want to remind that this also brings some risks. Therefore, I insistently underline how important cybersecurity is for our country at this point. We will continue our efforts without stopping for our country's cybersecurity to be at the highest level and for a communication sector equipped with high-standard technology. At this point, I know we owe a heartfelt thank you to our families and ladies who support our work with patience, and I offer my gratitude. On this occasion, I once again congratulate your Ramadan and, in advance, your Laylat al-Qadr, and with God's permission, I wish we reach Eid in health.”