Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Wednesday opened the 57th Cairo International Book Fair, the largest edition in the event’s history in terms of participation and diversity of activities, organizers said.
The fair, held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, runs from Jan. 21 to Feb. 3 at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre in New Cairo. Culture Minister Ahmed Fouad Hanno attended the opening ceremony alongside several ministers and Arab and foreign diplomats.
This year’s edition brings together 1,457 publishing houses from 83 countries, with a total of 6,637 exhibitors, reflecting a record level of international participation and a broad range of cultural and intellectual content.
Renowned Egyptian novelist and Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz was named the fair’s “Personality of the Year”, while artist Mohieddin El-Labbad was selected as the personality of the Children’s Book Fair. Romania is the guest of honor for the 57th edition, with a program of seminars, roundtable discussions and cultural events highlighting cultural ties between Egypt and Romania.
The fair’s cultural and intellectual program includes around 400 events, 100 book-signing ceremonies and 120 artistic activities, with the participation of 170 Arab and international guests and more than 1,500 writers, intellectuals and creative figures from Egypt and abroad.
Prominent Arab and international poets, thinkers and authors taking part include Adonis, Shawqi Bazigh, Ibrahim Nasrallah, Hassan Najmi, Waciny Laredj and Inaam Kachachi, alongside a large number of academics. The program also features a professional publishing track, with the participation of the president of the International Publishers Association and its secretary general.
Among this year’s initiatives, EgyptAir is offering a 20% discount on tickets for visitors travelling to attend the fair. Organizers have also introduced free Wi-Fi for visitors and exhibitors as part of a broader plan to upgrade digital services. The initiative aims to enable direct interaction between publishers and audiences through interactive platforms based on smart data analytics, in line with a comprehensive vision to modernise the fair’s digital infrastructure and bring it closer to international standards for major book fairs.
