The 56th edition of the Cairo International Book Fair will kick off next Friday to maintain its annual representation of the cultural and intellectual state of Egypt that started in 1969. Here are insights on this edition's details and what to look forward to in this year's events.
When & Where
Like every year, the Cairo International Book Fair will be held from January 24th until February 5th at the Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Centre (EECA) in New Cairo. The fair will be open daily to the public from 10 AM to 8 PM except on Thursday and Friday, when it'll be from 10 AM to 9 PM. The regular fair ticket costs EGP 5, which you can get at the gate, online from here, or through the fair's app.
What to Expect in the 56th Edition of Cairo's International Book Fair
The 56th edition starts strong with 1345 publisher houses, 6150 exhibitors, and publishers from 80 different countries, 10 of which are participating for the first time in Cairo's International Book Fair. The fair takes place within 6 halls and around 600 activities.
For the First Time: New Launches and Conferences
This year's edition comes with a lot of new transformational changes. For starters, an online e-book platform was launched specifically for the releases of the Ministry of Culture. The Cairo International Book Fair, in cooperation with the National Media Authority, will launch a podcast relating to the fair for the first time. There are also 5 conferences for depicting several topics like "Translation of Humanities in the Age of AI" and "Intellectual Property.”
Exploring the 56th Edition's Theme
The Cairo International Book Fair's theme for the 56th edition is represented in their slogan of "Read.. was the word in the beginning". The slogan comes from a religious and cultural perspective from Islamic and Christian scriptures, as people were commanded to just read before anything else.
The theme represents a practical call for everyone to seek knowledge by reading. Reading enables people to have a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them, which makes them more capable of creating or innovating their own things.
The Million Books Initiative
The Ministry of Culture has launched the Million Books initiative as a part of this year's activities to donate one million books to Egypt in various categories for different age groups. The initiative is an implementation of a broader vision that aims to raise public awareness of common knowledge and cognitive skills among people.
Guest of Honour Country: The Sultanate of Oman
The Sultanate of Oman has decided to be the guest of honour for the 56th edition of the Cairo International Book Fair as part of the country's willingness to share its cultural heritage with the world through this year's fair. They'll be participating in a cultural program which includes panel discussions, seminars, and conversational meetings with Omani figures.
Main Character: Dr. Ahmed Mustagir
A brilliant scientist and creative poet, Dr. Ahmed Mustagir, was chosen as the main character for the 56th edition of the Cairo International Book Fair. Dr. Ahmed Mustagir is a distinguished Egyptian biologist and poet who contributed greatly to the fields of agriculture and Egyptian literature, leaving valuable treasures of knowledge and a remarkable legacy for Egypt and future generations.
Children's Book Fair Character: Fatima Al-Maadoul
An Arab pioneer in children's literature, Fatma Al-Maadoul was chosen as the main character for the Children's Book Fair. She started her career in children's literature after doing civil work with children after the six-day war in 1967. Since then, she went on to write more than 50 literary books for children of all ages and directed several short dramatic and cinematic works. She also held and supervised several workshops in children's literature fields.
