The Ministry of Culture stated that the initiative offers 1,000 book titles, grouped into 50 cultural bundles, sold at heavily reduced, symbolic prices as part of government efforts to promote reading and expand public access to culture nationwide.
Hanno said the initiative is designed to ensure books reach Egyptian households across all governorates from the first day of the fair, drawing on the ministry’s extensive publishing catalogue and existing stock of valuable titles that had not previously reached readers for various reasons.
Under the scheme, visitors can purchase a “cultural bundle” containing 20 books for no more than 100 Egyptian pounds at the General Egyptian Book Organization’s (GEBO) discounted pavilion, according to the statement.
The titles have been curated into four main bundles to cater to different age groups and interests.
These include an adults’ bundle featuring major reference works as well as heritage and intellectual publications; a youth bundle aligned with the interests of younger generations; a children’s bundle aimed at encouraging reading and developing imagination; and a periodicals bundle comprising 10 issues of magazines and journals published by the GEBO.
The ministry added that, marking the selection of Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz as the personality of this year’s fair, a special Mahfouz-themed bundle is also being offered.
The 57th edition is held under the theme “Whoever stops reading for an hour falls behind for centuries,” a quotation attributed to Mahfouz.
The bundle includes 15 critical and artistic works examining the author’s literary legacy and will be available at a nominal price at the discounted pavilion.
The “A Library for Every Home” initiative forms part of the Ministry of Culture’s broader strategy to expand the readership base and reinforce the role of books in building public awareness, leveraging the Cairo International Book Fair’s status as one of the region’s largest and most inclusive cultural events.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Hanno on Wednesday inaugurated the Book Fair, which runs until 3 February and is the largest edition in its history. It features 1,457 publishing houses from 83 countries, 6,637 exhibitors, and more than 400 cultural and intellectual events.
The programme also includes 100 book-signing ceremonies and 120 artistic events, featuring 170 Arab and international guests, as well as more than 1,500 writers, thinkers, and creators from Egypt and abroad.
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