Technology projects developed by young people to combat addiction are being showcased at TEKNOFEST, held at Şanlıurfa GAP Airport. The Türkiye Green Crescent Society's stand features the competition's 32 finalist projects for visitors.
Some 440 people from 10 countries participated in the competition held during the festival's southeastern event, organized under the leadership of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and the T3 Foundation. Around 100 young people are involved in the finalist projects.
Projects focus on different types of addiction
Yeşilay Deputy Chairperson Sümeyye Ceylan said the organization had been fighting addiction since 1920. Ceylan said they were participating in the festival as a partner organization for the first time this year and noted that the competition focused on ways to combat addiction through technology.
Ceylan said the finalist young people had prepared projects addressing chemical and behavioral addictions. She said the young people who will place in the competition would be determined within a few days.
Ceylan said Yeşilay fought all types of addiction with zero tolerance, while advocating appropriate, adequate and responsible use in relation to technology- and internet-related addictions.
Emphasis on responsible use of technology
Ceylan said it was important for children and young people to use technology to produce beneficial solutions rather than as a factor leading them toward addiction. She said young people recognized their peers' vulnerability to different types of addiction and advocated on the issue.
Ceylan said TEKNOFEST was a suitable platform for combating internet-related addictions and noted that addictions were grouped under five broad categories defined by the World Health Organization.
Yeşilay also set up activity tents at the festival grounds to raise awareness about combating addiction. Awareness activities are being conducted for visitors in the tents.
