Radwa Hashem, media adviser to the Ministry of Culture, said the 57th Cairo International Book Fair is witnessing unprecedented public turnout that has exceeded all expectations, with visitor numbers surpassing 700,000 on Friday and approaching half a million on Saturday.
She pointed to heavy attendance at the Children’s Pavilion, the al-Azbakeya Wall area, the General Egyptian Book Organization’s discounted books pavilion, as well as the “Library for Every Home” initiative, which she described as one of the fair’s most prominent initiatives this year.
Speaking by phone to the “This Morning” program on Extra News TV, Hashem said the strong turnout has been clearly reflected in sales, with publishing houses recording very high sales over the past two days.
She added that the fair offers a comprehensive cultural experience that combines book exhibitions with a wide range of activities and events, including artistic performances, children’s workshops and intellectual seminars featuring leading cultural and intellectual figures from Egypt and across the Arab world.
Hashem said the Ministry of Culture this year allocated a dedicated and fully integrated entertainment zone for children, noting that the Children’s Pavilion is the largest in the fair’s history, covering around 8,000 square meters.
The move, she said, came at the direction of Culture Minister Ahmed Fouad Hanno and includes a broad range of workshops and activities, contributing to the noticeable rise in visitor numbers.
She added that these activities are also reflected on the fair’s stages, with diverse artistic performances, including shows for children and theatrical productions such as “Al-Layla Al-Kabira,” stressing that such events help provide younger generations with cultural knowledge and experiences that contribute to building awareness and strengthening cultural identity.
