Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan Festival in Baku

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan have attended the TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan Aerospace and Technology Festival, which is held for the first time in Baku.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and first ladies Mehriban Aliyeva and Emine Erdogan arrived at the venue of the TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan Festival.

Addressing the event, Selcuk Bayraktar, Chief Technology Officer of Turkiye's Baykar Company, provided an insight into the festival and thanked the hosts for the excellent organization of the event in Azerbaijan.

Speaking at the festival, Aziz Sancar, the world-renowned scientist and the Nobel Prize Laureate, emphasized the importance of Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood and friendship and expressed his gratitude for the organization of the TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan Festival.

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Then, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev addressed the event.

Speech by the President Ilham Aliyev

- My dear brother, President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Dear friends, sisters and brothers.

As you know, it is a holiday in Azerbaijan today – Independence Day, our dearest holiday. This is because my dear brother, who has boosted these celebrations with his presence, is with us today. On behalf of all the people of Azerbaijan, let's please cordially welcome the President of the Republic of Turkiye and all our brothers and sisters who have come to Azerbaijan alongside him.

One hundred and four years ago, the people of Azerbaijan established the first Democratic Republic in the Muslim world. Unfortunately, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic did not exist for a long time, it fell two years later, and Azerbaijan lost its independence. It was only in the early 1990s that Azerbaijan's state independence was restored. For 30 years, the people of Azerbaijan have lived freely in the environment of independence, building their own lives and confidently walking the path of independence. During these 30 years, our Turkish brothers have always been together with us. We have always felt this support, this fraternal support, for 30 years, and we are still feeling it today, and Turkiye and Azerbaijan are together again.

Two weeks ago, I was with my dear brother in Rize, one of the most beautiful places in Turkiye. Two weeks later, we are together again, this time in Baku. We are always next to each other, both in good times and in difficult times, and we must and will make sure that there are only good days ahead. Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood and unity are the main directions for our peoples, a crucial factor for the region and the world, and a factor of security and stability. The more confidently Turkiye and Azerbaijan stride together, the more robust the peace in our region will be. We and the whole world saw this during the Second Karabakh War. Turkiye was with us. My dear brother, the words of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the first hours of the war that "Azerbaijan is not alone, Turkiye is with it," gave us additional strength, inspiration and confidence. The Azerbaijani people will never forget this.

Our history is bright, and we were together in the most critical moments of our history. I remember that in a military parade dedicated to the liberation of Baku from Armenian occupation, Turkish and Azerbaijani soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder on Azadlig Square. We saw a repetition of this in the 2020 Victory Parade. After our historic victory, my dear brother and I hosted a military parade of the Turkish and Azerbaijani armies in Azadlig Square again. It was a celebration of our unity. It was a clear message to the whole world that we are together, that we will be together, and that our strength will grow day by day.

Dear President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was in Shusha on 15 June last year, on National Salvation Day. This was a very significant event. 15 June is a holiday too. 28 May is also a holiday. We celebrated these holidays together, and by signing the historic Shusha Declaration, Turkiye and Azerbaijan officially rose to the level of an alliance. This alliance manifests itself everywhere – in politics, economic relations, energy, transport projects, culture, education, and army building. Today, TEKNOFEST is another demonstration of our unity. TEKNOFEST is a celebration of science, development, knowledge and technology. I am sure the young people participating in TEKNOFEST will never forget this historic day. The young people of Turkiye and Azerbaijan, who have been together for several days, have become as close as a family and got to know each other, and I am sure they will always be together in the future.

The outstanding son of the Turkic world, world-renowned scientist, the Nobel Prize Laureate Aziz Sancar also visited TEKNOFEST as a guest of honor. I remember my meeting with Aziz Bey. He told me that he had always had a big dream – to visit Shusha. After meeting with me, he went to Shusha and said that I had already achieved what I wanted to achieve in life – I have now been to Shusha. This made us very happy. People like Aziz Sancar are role models for young people – a scientist, a citizen, a Turk and a patriot. It would be best if you, young people, strived to be like Aziz Bey.

At the same time, I would like to welcome Selcuk Bayraktar sincerely. Selcuk Bey is not only the organizer and initiator of TEKNOFEST, Selcuk Bey and the Bayraktar family are very famous in the world. No one in the world would not know the role of the famous "Bayraktar" unmanned aircraft in the Second Karabakh War. Selcuk Bey was in Shusha yesterday. When he saw Shusha, I am sure he got further convinced that Azerbaijan and Turkiye were ready and able to fulfill any task. Our peoples are always selflessly ready to take every step to protect and ensure their national pride. Selcuk Bey is also an excellent example for young people, and I am sure our young people will try to be like Selcuk Bey.

A little immodest as it may sound, I think there are two more examples today – my brother and I. We are leading our countries forward along the path to independence. I have repeatedly said that Turkiye's growing power strengthens us, and we have become a global powerhouse by joining our forces.

Turkiye's successful development is first of all associated with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In my activity, I have always tried to protect the national interests of the Azerbaijani people and the state to ensure the independent policy of Azerbaijan. The brotherhood between us should be an example to the people of Turkiye and Azerbaijan.

I would like to again express my gratitude to my dear brother, esteemed President and all our friends, brothers and sisters from Turkiye for being with us on this holiday. I want to express my confidence that Turkiye and Azerbaijan will continue to progress.

Long live Turkish-Azerbaijani unity and brotherhood! Karabakh is Azerbaijan!

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Then, the President of the Republic of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, made a speech.

Speech by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

- Dear President, my dear brother,

Ladies and gentlemen, dear young people, dear guests,

I greet you with my most sincere feelings and love.

I am delighted to be with you on Azerbaijan's Independence Day. As a child of a nation that knows very well how independence was achieved and how valuable it is, I sincerely congratulate you on your Independence Day. I remember with gratitude and respect our heroes who crowned our glorious struggles for independence and the future with their martyrdom. May Allah make the souls of our dear martyrs happy and their places a paradise. May Allah not separate us from our martyrs' sacred and blessed path.

Two weeks ago, I opened the Rize-Artvin Airport with my dear brother Ilham Aliyev. Today, we are attending another historic meeting in this beautiful capital Baku, where the wind is strong, and people are brave. In the person of my dear brother Ilham Aliyev, I thank the noble people of Azerbaijan for their sincere hospitality.

We are holding the world's most prestigious aviation, space and technology festival, TEKNOFEST, under the slogan "One nation, two states, one festival" in Baku, the pearl of the Caspian Sea. On behalf of myself and my nation, I thank our dear scientist Aziz Sancar for sharing in our joy on this proud day. Greetings from Badi-Kuba, i.e., from the beautiful city of winds Baku to every inch of the lands where the Caucasian Islamic Army under the command of Nuru Pasha fought alongside our Azerbaijani brothers, to the lowlands where Natavan's ghazal was heard, to the lands where our martyr Khudayar sang, to Gandja, Shusha, Fuzuli, Lachin and all the regions of Azerbaijan. I send you my love from here. May Allah make our brotherhood, which is again demonstrated here today, eternal and permanent.

My dear brothers, this year, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of re-establishing our diplomatic relations with great pride. Inspired by our shared history, we are further strengthening the friendship and love between us. We are strengthening our unity and equality. Although our diplomatic relations were established 30 years ago, the unity of our destinies extends to the depths of history. In 1915 in Canakkale, in 1918 in Gandja, Baku and other regions of Azerbaijan, our hearts and fists were united in a common struggle. I want to express the power of love between us with these beautiful verses of the late Bakhtiyar Vahabzade:

Two sons of a mother,

Two branches of a tree,

This one is great, and this one is great,

Azerbaijan, Turkiye.

Our religion is one, our language is one,

Our month is one, our year is a year,

Our love is one, our path is one,

Azerbaijan, Turkiye.

Yes, we are two states, two people who share both sorrow and joy and are brothers not in words but in deeds. Like our crescent moon fluttering in the sky, we belong to an ancient nation that shares the same beliefs. Just like Anatolia, this is our land. Just like Turkiye, this is our homeland. Just like the places where we were born, this is our homeland.

In the same way, every inch of Turkiye is your homeland. Who can separate the love of Azerbaijan from the heart of the Turkish nation? Who can create a distance between brothers? Can there be a boundary between the two brothers? Who can draw the line between our hearts?

Yes, we are here today, breaking the boundaries between our hearts. Wherever we have a brother from the West to the East, it is an integral part of our home, country, and geography. As Turkiye and Azerbaijan, with this understanding, we have, thankfully, reached the level of a strategic partnership and then, last year, a strategic alliance by signing the Shusha Declaration. We have established strong partnerships in a wide range of areas, from energy to culture, defense to trade, and economic to humanitarian relations. Here I want to thank my brother Selcuk, and his older brother, the Bayraktar family. I want to emphasize that the Akinci unmanned aircraft, the pinnacle of armed unmanned aerial vehicles, has set a record by flying non-stop from Istanbul to here. Hopefully, we will have more success and see them all.

Thanks to the unparalleled contributions of my brother Ilham, we have raised our bilateral relations to a level that can be an example not only for the region but also for the whole world. I believe our future generations will further develop this exemplary cooperation between our countries in all areas. The fact that my visit is taking place in the Year of Shusha, the ancient city of Azerbaijan, has a special meaning. I expect you to own the glorious heritage of our dear martyrs, even at the cost of your lives.

Dear young people, we have come here today with a large delegation as a sign of love. I greet each of you with the greetings of our young people, whose hearts are beating in unison with yours. When I say "Dear Azerbaijan" and "Karabakh" to you, I also communicate the greetings of the 85 million people who have a storm in their hearts. I send you the greetings of your brothers in Turkiye, who pray for the prosperity and stability of Azerbaijan. I communicate the greetings of millions of your friends and brothers, who happily sing Azerbaijani songs and get sad when Azerbaijan is faced with difficulty. I have brought you the meaning and significance of stepping into the future with a triumphant excitement and enthusiasm as a unique expression of our solidarity with Azerbaijan, which is rising as a monument of stability in the region. Despite all the injustices we face, we are proud of Azerbaijan, which has written a saga in diplomacy, economy and culture. We are pleased to see that under the resolute leadership of my brother Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan is moving forward with confidence towards a clear future. I want to address you with the following words of the national poet of Azerbaijan, Ahmad Javad, whom I honor with gratitude on the 130th anniversary of his birth this year:

I am a Turk. I have a deep mind, intelligence,

How much longer will the enemies take advantage of us?

As long as there is justice and conviction, I am there.

I will rebel against oppression. I will not be silent even if I am oppressed!

Yes, we have not been and will not be tight-lipped in the face of injustice. I want to take this opportunity to thank our grandfather Heydar. May he rest in paradise.

We have never been and never will be intimidated by pressure and threats. We have not and will not back down from saying the right thing in all circumstances against occupation and injustice, defending our just struggle. Just as we set no sight on anyone else's land or territorial integrity, we do not and will not have an inch of our land to give away to malicious people. Because we are not people brought together by chance, we are the children of a great nation distinguished by its history, culture and values. Wherever there is oppression and injustice, we represent a nation with a heart that raises its voice and fights with all its might. The Victory of Karabakh is the latest example of the heroic epics of our nation. My dear brother, thanks to the resolute position of the Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, Karabakh has been freed from slavery 30 years later. Brave members of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have achieved a great victory in Karabakh, which is unparalleled in history. It is a very sensitive point. The 44-day Patriotic War has shown the world what can be done when intelligence, technology and courage come together. In this process, the whole world has witnessed the success of our defense industry products, which we share with Azerbaijan. The level we have reached in defense industry products is essential. But we still have a long way to go. As in any issue, we rely on our youth's knowledge, energy, determination and efforts in the defense industry. TEKNOFEST is an event that symbolizes this trust.

Today, we are here to share the excitement and rightful pride of organizing TEKNOFEST in Azerbaijan for the first time. It is an essential platform for the Azerbaijani youth to demonstrate and develop their talents. Distinguished by their work in TEKNOFEST competitions, you, our young people, will be the scientists of tomorrow who produce and develop unmanned aerial vehicles, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies. With Azerbaijan, we will continue to open new horizons for our youth in several more projects and jointly implement our national technological breakthroughs.

I am even more pleased that our guests representing the Organization of Turkic States are also present at the TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan. I sincerely believe that the Turkic world will achieve significant success with the younger generation that will produce the most modern technologies. To date, TEKNOFEST members have implemented outstanding projects in Turkiye. I do not doubt that we will achieve the same success in Azerbaijan. I believe that the Organization of Turkic States will reach a stronger position in the future with new and greater cooperation, which will lay the foundation for such platforms.

Dear President, my dear brother, dear youth,

As stated in the Shusha Declaration approved by our parliaments, our efforts to carry out joint research and production activities in the defense industry continue to move forward. As in all areas, we will work closely with Azerbaijan in space and aviation. Within the Organization of Turkic States framework, space agencies and relevant ministries of our sister countries are holding meetings. It is time to write a story of success, peace and development in these lands. As regional peoples who have learned from the sufferings of the past and previous years, we must all build the future together.

As was the case in war, we also stand by Azerbaijan in peacetime. As Turkiye, we actively support the lasting peace that my dear brother Ilham Aliyev wants to establish with Armenia for peace and stability in the region.

I have personally witnessed the success of Azerbaijan in all areas of development. Permanent conditions are being created for the Great Return in Karabakh and East Zangazur with the reconstruction work in which Turkiye is also involved. As our fathers said, we reap what we sow.

We are already sowing the seeds of development, progress, prosperity and peace in these lands that had been mined for years. Last year, with my brother Ilham Aliyev, we inaugurated Fuzuli International Airport, the gateway to Karabakh. Now there are airport projects in Zangilan and Lachin. Aghdam Industrial Park and Araz Valley Economic Zone Industrial Park will also pave the way for using the potential of the liberated lands. We are working together on projects to build "smart villages" in these regions, and we will continue to work in the future.

As my dear brother said, it is time to open a new page in our region. Our goal is to build lasting peace, establish trust and good neighborly relations, and strengthen regional stability by accelerating development. We will continue our close solidarity, contact and coordination with Azerbaijan to achieve these goals.

May Allah open our way and grant us luck. With these thoughts, I thank all our organizations that have contributed to the holding of this wonderful festival. With Allah's blessing, I hope the TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan will benefit our brotherly countries. Along with the relevant agencies of Azerbaijan, I would like to thank the Ministry of Industry and Technology and the leadership of the T3 Foundation, the participating youth and everyone else who has contributed to the organization of this wonderful festival. I greet you all with respect and love. Goodbye.

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Following the speeches, the award ceremony was held for the festival winners in various competitions.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the Nobel Prize Laureate, Professor Aziz Sancar, presented the awards to the winners.

Presidents Ilham Aliyev, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and famous scientist Aziz Sancar posed for photographs.

The heads of state and Aziz Sancar were presented with keepsakes of the TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan festival.

First ladies Mehriban Aliyeva and Emine Erdogan, as well as Sumeyye Bayraktar and Arzu Aliyeva posed for photographs.

Then, the officials of the two brotherly countries posed together for photographs.

Presidents Ilham Aliyev, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, first ladies Mehriban Aliyeva and Emine Erdogan viewed the pavilions at the exhibition area.

The air show, with the participation of Azerbaijani and Turkish pilots as part of the TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan Aerospace and Technology Festival, was one of the most memorable events of this prestigious festival.

Presidents Ilham Aliyev, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, first ladies Mehriban Aliyeva and Emine Erdogan, official delegations of the two brotherly countries and the festival participants watched the air show.