The 57th edition of the Cairo International Book Fair (CIBF) has reached a historic milestone, welcoming over 5 million visitors within its first ten days. Official figures released on Saturday, January 31, 2026, confirmed that a staggering 5,084,212 people have passed through the gates since the fair opened to the public.
Saturday alone saw a massive turnout, with nearly half a million visitors (491,917) flocking to the Egypt International Exhibition Center in New Cairo. This surge in attendance has translated into robust sales for the Ministry of Culture and various private publishing houses, signaling a flourishing interest in reading and cultural engagement across Egypt.
A Nationwide Cultural Push Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hanno, Egypt’s Minister of Culture, hailed the achievement as a "fruitful result of collective effort" involving the General Egyptian Book Organization, state sectors, and the Egyptian and Arab Publishers Associations.
"This success is just the beginning," Dr. Hanno stated. "We are already planning to launch dozens of local book fairs across Egypt’s provinces and within universities to ensure that culture and literature reach every corner of the nation."
Event Highlights Held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, this year’s fair runs from January 21 to February 3. Operating under the slogan "He who stops reading for an hour falls behind by centuries," the event features Romania as the Guest of Honor. The fair also pays tribute to the legendary Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz as the "Personality of the Fair."
Beyond the bookshelves, visitors are treated to a rich program of intellectual seminars, literary evenings, artistic performances, and dedicated activities for children and youth, solidifying the CIBF's status as the Middle East’s premier cultural event.
Follow the latest news on Google News
