Cairo International Book Fair Draws Nearly 5.5 Million Visitors

On Sunday, February 1, the fair recorded 409,101 visitors, bringing the total number of attendees since opening day to 5,493,313, underscoring its status as one of the largest and most influential cultural events in the Middle East and Africa.

Minister of Culture Ahmed Fouad Hanno said the exceptional turnout reflects strong public interest across all age groups in the fair’s diverse cultural and intellectual offerings. He highlighted the wide range of literary and thought-provoking activities, meetings with writers and intellectuals, and thousands of book titles covering every field of knowledge.

The minister added that the fair’s success reinforces public confidence in its role as a key platform for supporting the publishing industry, promoting reading, spreading cultural awareness, and encouraging intellectual dialogue—contributing to the consolidation of Egypt’s cultural standing at both regional and international levels.

The 57th edition of the Cairo International Book Fair is held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, running from January 21 to February 3 at the Egypt International Exhibitions Center in New Cairo. This year’s edition carries the slogan “He who stops reading for an hour falls behind for centuries,” with Romania honored as the Guest of Honor.