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Cairo International Book Fair concluded its 57th edition after attracting a record 6.2 million visitors, as Egypt’s culture minister described the event as an exceptional success driven by coordinated efforts across state institutions.

Minister of Culture Ahmed Fouad Hanno said total attendance reached 6,200,849 visitors during the fair, which ran from 21 January to 3 February at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre in New Cairo, marking the highest turnout in the fair’s history.

In a statement by the Ministry, Hanno credited President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi for sponsoring the event and Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli for his regular follow-up of activities, thanking all state institutions involved in organizing what he described as one of the world’s largest and most influential cultural platforms.

The closing ceremony also featured the presentation of the Naguib Mahfouz Award, which was awarded to Tunisian novelist Nizar Chakroun in recognition of a literary career that has enriched the Arab novel.

The award was presented in the presence of Om Kulthum Naguib Mahfouz, the daughter of the Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, whose name the prize bears.

Hanno said the award reflects the Egyptian state’s appreciation of serious and constructive literary creativity and its belief in literature as a means of expressing the concerns and aspirations of Arab societies.

Chakroun, in turn, said the prize carries deep symbolic value and represents a strong incentive to continue his creative journey, praising Cairo’s role as a permanent capital of Arab culture and highlighting the depth of cultural ties between Egypt and Tunisia.

As part of a newly introduced tradition, the ceremony included the official handover of the Guest of Honor flag.

Romania, which served as Guest of Honor at the 57th edition, formally passed the flag to Qatar, selected as Guest of Honor for the 58th edition of the fair in 2027.

The minister praised Romania’s participation and its cultural and intellectual contributions during this year’s fair, while welcoming Qatar’s selection for the next edition as a reflection of strong Arab cultural relations and expanding cooperation.

The closing event concluded with an artistic evening titled “Cairo Sings” featuring musical selections inspired by works of Naguib Mahfouz, alongside compositions by Sayed Darwish and other leading Egyptian artists.

Organized by the General Egyptian Book Organization, the 57th edition featured a broad cultural and intellectual program and reaffirmed the Cairo International Book Fair’s status as a central hub for publishing, cultural exchange, and dialogue between Arab and international audiences.

The 57th edition of the Cairo International Book Fair was inaugurated by Madbouli and Hanno, marking the launch of the largest edition in the fair’s history.

This year’s fair brought together 1,457 publishing houses from 83 countries, totaling 6,637 exhibitors, underscoring its expanding international footprint.

Its program included more than 400 cultural and intellectual events, 100 book-signing sessions, and 120 artistic performances, while hosting around 170 Arab and international guests alongside more than 1,500 writers, thinkers, and creatives from Egypt and abroad.

Source: Al-Ahram Online