Cairo Int’l Book Fair opens with record global participation

The 57th Cairo International Book Fair kicked off today with the official opening ceremony. It will open to the public from January 22 to February 3, 2026.
Held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, the 2026 edition honours Nobel laureate and late novelist Naguib Mahfouz as the Personality of the Fair.
The 57th edition features an unprecedented level of international participation, with 1,457 publishing houses from 83 countries and a total of 6,637 exhibitors, making it a landmark cultural event that firmly reinforces Cairo’s position as a capital of enlightenment and thought in the Arab world and the Middle East.
Highly anticipated each year by reading enthusiasts, the fair plays a vital role in promoting culture and knowledge across Egyptian society.
Initially held for only one week, the fair was later extended to two weeks and is now considered one of the largest book fairs in the Middle East.
The fair dates back to 1969, when then-Minister of Culture Tharwat Okasha decided to organise a major cultural celebration. Scholar cum researcher, and author Soheir El-Qalamawy was entrusted with supervising the launch and organisation of the first edition. In recognition of her pioneering role, El-Qalamawy was named the Personality of the Fair in 2008.
The inaugural edition opened on January 22, 1969, as part of the celebrations marking 1,000 years since the founding of Cairo. It was held at the Exhibition Grounds in Gezira, the site where the Cairo Opera House was later built. That first edition featured participation from five foreign countries, more than 100 publishers, and covered an area of 2,000 square metres.
Over more than five decades, the Cairo International Book Fair has evolved far beyond an annual book market into a cultural and social institution, deeply embedded in the collective memory of generations of readers and intellectuals. Its mission expanded to include fostering intellectual dialogue and cultural exchange between Egypt and the world.
As visitor numbers grew, the Gezira venue could no longer accommodate the event, prompting its move in 1984 to the Nasr City Exhibition Grounds, a major turning point in its history.
The fair has faced several challenges over the years, particularly following the January 25, 2011 revolution, when some editions were postponed or held at alternative venues. It also confronted logistical difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, which required exceptional measures regarding visiting schedules and event formats.
Despite these challenges, the fair maintained its status as one of the region’s leading cultural events.
In 2019, the fair was relocated to the Egypt International Exhibition and Convention Center (EIEC) in New Cairo’s Fifth Settlement. The new venue offered wider spaces, smoother organisation, modern conference halls, and improved logistical services for publishers and visitors.
In 2006, the Cairo International Book Fair received the “Outstanding Achievement Award” from the International Publishers Association, in recognition of its role in spreading culture and knowledge across all segments of society.