Spanish author Irene Vallejo celebrates World Book and Copyright Day at the Cervantes Institute in Cairo (photo by Reham El-Adawi)
Vallejo was speaking at a World Book and Copyright Day event at the Cervantes Institute in Cairo on 23 April. In her speech, she underscored the enduring cultural role of literature and translation in fostering cross-cultural dialogue, particularly between Egypt and Spain, amid growing global interest in literary exchange and multilingual publishing.
Vallejo told the audience her award-winning book (known in Arabic as The Infinity in a Papyrus), which was translated into over 35 languages, emerged from what she described as one of the hardest moments of her life, following the birth of her son Pedro under serious health conditions. She described writing as a “refuge.”
“I thought I was saying goodbye to writing,” she said, noting she never expected a book on the history of writing to reach a wide readership.
She added that the process became “a deep experience” and an emotional escape, blending personal reflections on motherhood with storytelling traditions rooted in her childhood. Vallejo emphasized that reading enables people to move across worlds, with each book offering a distinct human experience.
Spain’s ambassador to Egypt, Sergio Caranza Forster, addresses the audience marking World Book and Copyright Day
Bestselling Spanish author Irene Vallejo on World Book and Copyright Day in Cairo's Cervantes Institute
Highlighting the importance of translation, Vallejo described it as a “crucial human act” that builds connections beyond language barriers, praising Egyptian translator Mark Gamal for conveying not only the text but also its deeper meanings into Arabic.
Addressing the audience, Spain’s ambassador to Egypt, Sergio Caranza Forster, said books serve as “a window to knowledge and a bridge for dialogue between cultures.” He stressed the long-standing historical and cultural ties between Egypt and Spain. He also noted that Vallejo’s works celebrate shared human values through literature.
Translator Mark Gamal said he selects works with strong human dimensions, describing each translation as a “unique adventure,” a quality he found evident in Vallejo’s writing.
On the sidelines of the event, Vallejo spoke of her admiration for Arabic literature. She carried with her a Spanish translation of Al-Ayyam (The Days) by Taha Hussein. Vallejo said she is currently working on a new book on education, drawing inspiration from her experience with her son and from Hussein’s legacy of producing literary works despite his blindness.
She also spoke of her impressions of Cairo, saying the city evoked the atmosphere of Naguib Mahfouz’s celebrated trilogy.
Notably, the event also included readings of excerpts from Don Quixote, with the audience participating in the readings. Towards the end of the event, the ambassador and the author read parts of the Spanish classic while reviewing booths representing bookstores and publishing houses that showcased the latest releases of translated Spanish literature, as well as educational materials in Spanish and Arabic.
The day concluded with a Spanish musical concert featuring guitarist Ahmed Abdel-Rahman and a group of artists.
World Book Day, observed annually on 23 April since 1988, commemorates the deaths of literary figures including Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare, promoting reading and authors’ rights worldwide.
Spanish musical concert featured guitarist Ahmed Abdel-Rahman (photo credit of Cervantes Institute)
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