UFEST 2025 brought sector representatives together in Muğla. Addressing the youth here, Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, President of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority, gave advice to the students.
Organized by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, UFEST 2025 was held in Muğla with the participation of Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, President of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority. The program was attended by public and private sector representatives, as well as numerous students and academics. The event covered important topics ranging from domestic and national technologies to cybersecurity.
In his speech at UFEST 2025, BTK President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu stated that they view young people not only as users of the digital world but also as its producers and shapers. “Technology is no longer just data scrolling on screens or fast internet; it is a mindset change, production awareness, and digital sovereignty,” said Karagözoğlu, emphasizing that young people are at the center of this understanding.
Stating that domestic and national technology production is not just an economic choice but also a matter of strategic independence, Karagözoğlu said, “A Turkey that develops its own software, its own chips, its own base stations will be a country that speaks its own word in the digital world.” In this context, he noted that domestic base station projects like ULAK serve millions in 71 provinces.
Expressing that BTK plays a pioneering role not only in technology production but also in establishing secure digital infrastructure, Karagözoğlu underlined that cybersecurity is no longer a luxury but a necessity. “The digital homeland is as valuable as the physical homeland,” he continued, adding that USOM, operating under BTK, neutralized over 215,000 cyber attacks in 2024. Karagözoğlu stated that Turkey has risen to the position of an “exemplary country” in cybersecurity on an international scale, and emphasized that cyber defense is conducted with domestic capabilities thanks to domestically developed software (AVCI, KASIRGA, AZAD, etc.) by the institution.
President Karagözoğlu: As Long as the Youth Want to Produce
In the continuation of his speech, Karagözoğlu also touched upon the studies aimed at enhancing the competencies of the youth. He said that BTK Academy has reached over 2.5 million users and that young people can receive free training in a wide range from software to artificial intelligence. “As long as the youth want to produce, we are always by their side,” he stated, noting that they aim to increase the digital production power of the youth not only with theoretical but also practical training.
Addressing the youth at the end of the event, Karagözoğlu concluded his speech with the words, “With a youth that does not fear innovation, does not give up on production, dreams, and builds, we will not only talk about the Turkey Century, we will live it and sustain it.”