The 57th edition is held under the theme “Whoever stops reading for an hour falls behind for centuries,” a quotation from the renowned writer and Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, who was selected as the Personality of the Year for this edition.
According to the Egyptian Cabinet, artist Mohieddin El-Labbad was chosen as Personality of the Children’s Book Fair in appreciation of a career that combined rich imagination with visual beauty in the consciousness of generations.
Additionally, the “Egyptian Writer” was selected as the central theme of the 57th fair’s activities, while Romania will be the Guest of Honour for this year’s edition.
Madbouly, who toured the fair, praised the prominent celebration of this year’s Personality, emphasising that it reflects Mahfouz’s exceptional stature in the Egyptian and Arab cultural consciousness.
He also commended the continuous development witnessed by successive editions of the fair in recent years, noting the growing number of participating countries, the diversity of exhibitors, and the expansion of exhibition spaces.
Madbouly affirmed that this development consolidates the enlightening role of this major cultural event on the national, Arab, and regional levels, and crowns the state’s commitment to strengthening thought and culture as key instruments of its soft power and civilisational influence.
During the tour, the Egyptian PM visited several pavilions of participating entities and institutions, praising the high level of organisation and the diversity of participating pavilions.
He also took a commemorative photo with the volunteer teams organising the fair, in appreciation of their vital role as a cornerstone in facilitating visitor movement and ensuring the success of this distinguished cultural event.
For his part, Minister of Culture Ahmed Hanno explained that this edition is the largest in the fair’s history in terms of participation volume, diversity of activities, and richness of cultural and intellectual content.
He said it features a special celebration of ancient Egyptian civilisation and its history in the fair’s identity and cultural programme, coming shortly after the historic opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).
Hanno also affirmed that the 57th edition is witnessing unprecedented participation, with 1,457 publishing houses from 83 countries, totalling more than 6,600 exhibitors, embodying the firmly established international standing of the fair.
The minister added that the cultural and intellectual programme includes around 400 events, 100 book signings, and 120 artistic activities, with broad participation from Egyptian, Arab, and international intellectuals.
Furthermore, he highlighted the unprecedented diversity of Arab and international participation, diverse initiatives, and the rich cultural programme that addresses all age groups.
Minister Hanno affirmed that the fair continues to cement its role as a unifying platform for cultural dialogue, and a key supporter of the publishing industry, as well as a vital window for promoting knowledge and enhancing societal awareness.
The culture minister noted that Romania’s participation as Guest of Honour comes within the framework of preparations to celebrate 120 years of diplomatic relations between Cairo and Bucharest this year.
He pointed out that the participation of Romania will feature 30 events with the participation of 60 Romanian guests, including 15 artists and 10 Romanian publishing houses.
In addition, Hanno emphasized that honouring Mahfouz in this edition is embodied through an integrated programme that includes intellectual seminars and film screenings.
It will also include an exhibition titled “Naguib Mahfouz Through the Eyes of the World,” which features 40 artworks from various countries around the world, organised in cooperation with the Egyptian Caricature Association.
The minister also highlighted the celebration of El-Labbad’s career through specialized seminars, an exhibition of his most prominent works, interactive activities for children, the reprinting of a number of his publications, and the release of a commemorative book documenting his journey.
According to the Egyptian Cabinet, the fair’s inauguration was attended by several ministers, ambassadors, officials, members of parliament, writers, and media professionals.
Also in attendance were the Romanian Minister of Culture, Andras Istvan Demeter, as well as the Romanian Ambassador in Cairo, Olivia Toderean.
Launched in 1969, the Cairo International Book Fair has grown into a leading regional and global cultural platform and has been held at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre since 2020, after moving from Nasr City to accommodate its expanding scale.
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