Cairo Book Fair draws nearly half a million visitors on third day

CAIRO – 24 January 2026: The Cairo International Book Fair continues to attract large crowds in its 57th edition, with 480,317 visitors attending on the third day alone, the Ministry of Culture said on Saturday.

The 2026 edition of the fair, held from 21 January to 3 February at the Egypt International Exhibitions Center in New Cairo, presents a rich cultural and intellectual program that reflects its status as the largest cultural event in Egypt and the Arab world.

Held under the slogan “Whoever stops reading for an hour falls centuries behind,” a quote by the late Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, this year’s fair celebrates reading as a cornerstone of awareness, progress, and human development.

 

The fair offers visitors a diverse cultural and artistic program, including intellectual seminars, literary evenings, artistic performances, and activities designed for children and youth.

Notable Personalities, Guest of Honor

In a symbolic tribute, Mahfouz was named personality of this edition, honoring his enduring literary legacy and transformative role in shaping the modern Arabic novel.

For the first time in its history, the fair is also celebrating a pioneer of children’s book illustration, honoring the late Mohieddin El-Labbad for a career that blended imagination and visual beauty and left a lasting imprint on generations of young readers.

Romania was chosen as Guest of Honor, opening new horizons for cultural exchange and dialogue between the two countries through a rich and diverse program of events.

Minister of Culture Ahmed Fouad Hano said the 57th edition marks a historic milestone for the fair, describing it as the largest since its inception.

 

He promised audiences an exceptional cultural experience inspired by the spirit of Egyptian creativity.

The significance of this edition is heightened by its timing, the minister explained, pointing to the recent opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, a global cultural event that has once again drawn international attention to Egypt’s ancient civilization and rich heritage.

This global momentum, he said, is reflected in the fair’s identity and cultural program, which place Egyptian history and national identity at the heart of creativity and knowledge.

This year’s edition features 1,457 publishing houses from 83 countries, with a total of 6,637 exhibitors, underscoring the fair’s firmly established international standing.

The fair hosts a distinguished lineup of Arab and international poets, thinkers, and writers, including Adunis, Shawqi Bazigh, Hassan Najmi, Ibrahim Nasrallah, Waciny Laredj, and Inaam Kachachi, alongside a wide range of academics and cultural figures.

The program also includes an important professional track, with the participation of the president and the secretary general of the International Publishers Association.