The 53rd edition of the Cairo International Bookfair kicked off on Jan. 26, 2022, after Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly inaugurated the event.
The bookfair, which is held in Egypt’s capital city Cairo every year, is normally shorter but Egypt’s Minister of Culture Inas Abdel Dayem announced before the fair that it would be extended to 13 consecutive days.
This year’s featured country is Greece and works from renowned Egypt-born authors like Yehia Haqi and Abdel Tawab Yousef will be highlighted throughout the fair. According to Egypt’s State Information Service, a hologram of Haqi will be bringing the deceased author back to life for an interactive presentation during the fair.
And in another first for this year’s event, online sales of the books will be held with delivery services of the purchases being handled by the Ministry of Communications. There will also be a cash award of $40,000 EGP (roughly $2,500 USD) given to whoever wins the title of Best Arab Publisher.
تحت رعاية الرئيس عبد الفتاح السيسي: رئيس الوزراء يشهد افتتاح الدورة الـ 53 من #معرض_القاهرة_الدولي_للكتاب_٢٠٢٢ #هوية_مصر_الثقافة_وسؤال_المستقبل#cibf53 pic.twitter.com/sA5Ejq8NAr
— معرض القاهرة للكتاب (@cairobookfair) January 26, 2022
The State Information Service reported that approximately 1,067 Egyptian, Arab and foreign publishers from 51 different countries will be participating in the bookfair this year.
The bookfair is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.each day at the Egypt International Exhibition Center west of New Cairo City, and transportation to and between the fair is being offered to the public.
Visitors must be vaccinated to attend but for those who haven’t gotten their shots yet the Ministry of Health and Population is running a vaccination site near the fair.
Tickets to the fair can be purchased online here but children under the age of twelve and people with special needs will be allowed to enter free of charge. Currently, the last day of the bookfair is scheduled for Monday Feb. 7.
