TUBITAK BILGEM Organized “1st National Blockchain Workshop”

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The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) Informatics and Information Security Research Center (BILGEM) organized the “1st National Blockchain Workshop” in Ankara on 2-3 April 2018. In the Workshop, the topics discussed were adapting the blockchain technology to public and private institutions, legal regulations with their real life applications, use of smart contracts in economy and financial processes and the security of cryptocurrency. TUBITAK President Prof. Hasan Mandal expressed that blockchain is such an important technology that is going to seal countries’ fate to exist or not in the future and said: “The technological developments in the world are shaped in the blockchain field. In order for Turkey to get involved in this eco-system and to take place in digital unity, it has to establish international collaborations and to integrate with technology and finance sectors.”

“A Roadmap of Blockchain Technology Will Be Set”

Prof. Mandal said that at the ‘National Blockchain Workshop’, many sessions were held with the participation of around 20 national and international experts and academics working in the field of database technology and the interest in the Workshop was beyond expectations. Prof. Mandal, who stated that the number of participants was approximately 750, reminded that a training programme on blockchain technology was organized at the Workshop and 240 people received their certificates at the end of the training. Prof. Mandal said that a report of the Workshop will be prepared and this report will be an important data source for Turkey’s roadmap on blockchain technology. Prof. Mandal expressed that TUBITAK will conduct relevant activities and projects for Turkey’s integration to the blockchain technology and the next Workshop is planned to be organized with a more comprehensive and broader participation. Prof. Mandal also expressed that a Blockchain Research Laboratory was established within TUBITAK BILGEM National Research Institute of Electronics and Cryptology (UEKAE) and said that the laboratory is focused on building blockchain technologies infrastructure for the needs of public and private sector needs, confidentiality and security analysis of cryptocurrency, business models and finance and hyper funding issues.

“Turkey Must Be Involved in Blockchain Eco-system”

Prof. Mandal stated that the system allows for the transfer of valuable assets in the current internet environment and hence, can be termed as a de-centralized “cryptography logbook” and owing to its being a de-centralized system working as a cryptography logbook, blockchain technology decreases the users’ risk to be hacked. Prof. Mandal also stated that the system will facilitate a number of internet operations and said:  “In 1960s, the competition was through production, in 1970s it was through expenditure, in 1980s through quality, in 1990s through speed, in 2000s through information and in 2010s it is through the use of information for collaboration and simultaneously, digitalization superiority. And today, use of information for collaboration and digitalization are possible through blockchain. In the world, use of blockchain in education, law, health as well as finance is on the agenda. At this point, in digitalization Turkey acts simultaneously with the world."

“Blockchain Will Seal Countries’ Fate to Exist or Not”

Prof. Mandal underlined that block chain is such an important technology that will seal countries’ fate to exist or not and said: “We will come across with the use of blockchain not only in the establishment of cryptocurrency but also in many fields such as artificial intelligence. Besides its opportunities, this technology includes many risks for our country. The technical details of this technology need to be well known so that opportunities can be assessed and risks avoided. We are at the beginning of the road but we that there is awareness in our country. The technological developments in the world are shaped in the blockchain field. In order for Turkey to get involved in this eco-system and to take place in digital unity, it has to establish international collaborations and to integrate with technology and finance sectors.”

06.04.2018