The Cairo International Book Fair Returns With its Largest Edition

The Cairo International Book Fair returns for its 57th edition, marking the largest iteration in the fair’s history.

The programme brings together 1,457 publishing houses from 83 countries, totalling 6,637 exhibitors, alongside a packed cultural agenda that includes 400 events, workshops, and more than 100 book signings.

The fair’s opening ceremony takes place on January 21st, and it will be open to the public from January 22nd until February 3rd at Egypt’s International Exhibition Centre, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM on weekdays, with extended hours on weekends until 9:00 PM.

This year’s edition of the fair centres on the theme of Egyptian identity, presenting the Egyptian creator as a bridge between the country’s ancient cultural heritage and contemporary creative expression.

Ticket price is EGP 5 for a single visit. Tickets can be booked online through the Cairo International Book Fair website.

Honouring Legendary Personalities

Egyptian Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz has been chosen as the fair’s personality, while the celebrated artist Mohi El-Din El-Labbad has been selected as the personality for the Children’s Book Fair.

At the closing ceremony, a new Naguib Mahfouz Prize for Arabic Fiction will be awarded.

Romania as the Guest of Honour

The Minister of Culture unveiled Romania as the guest of honour at the 57th edition, in preparation for celebrating 120 years of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Romania in 2026.

The Romanian ambassador outlined the key features of the participation programme, which will include 30 events over 13 days, the participation of 60 Romanian guests, including 15 artists, 10 Romanian publishing houses, and four university presidents or vice presidents, in addition to three high-level figures.

Global Attendees

The fair will celebrate the participation of 170 Arab and international guests, along with more than 1,500 Arab and international intellectuals and artists.

The Minister of Culture also noted that EgyptAir is offering a 20% discount on all tickets for those attending the fair.

Mobile Application

The Cairo International Book Fair has launched a new mobile app, ‘Book Fair Go’, to help visitors navigate the event through a digital map, locate publishers, track daily events, and access user-focused tools at the region’s largest annual cultural gathering.

The application was developed by the Ministry of Culture in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as part of efforts to modernise the fair’s organisation and visitor services.

The app can also issue notifications about crowded areas to help manage foot traffic during peak hours.

Transportation

The Ministry of Culture allocated six bus routes for public transportation to the fair, with a fixed price of EGP 10 per trip, as part of a comprehensive plan aimed at facilitating access for visitors from across Cairo to the Egypt International Exhibition Centre in New Cairo.

These routes include services starting from Abdel Moneim Riad Square and passing through Abbasia and El Sekka Club; from New Nozha via Sabaa Emarat and Makram Ebeid; and from Amiriya through Matariya and the Seventh District. Additional routes operate from Giza Square, passing through Sayeda Aisha and the Autostrade; from Saqr Quraish via the Ring Road and Carrefour Maadi; and from El Mazallat, passing through Roxy and the Eighth District, ensuring convenient access from multiple areas across the city.

Free Wi-Fi

For the first time, there will be free Wi-Fi at the Cairo International Book Fair, aimed at improving the visitor experience within the exhibition halls. The service will also provide innovative digital marketing solutions that allow exhibitors and companies to communicate directly with the public.

A Dedicated Pavilion for People with Disabilities

The National Council for Persons with Disabilities announced that there will be a special pavilion at the book fair for people with disabilities and associations working in the field of disability to display their art, craft, and heritage products.

Affordable Book Bundles

The book fair has also introduced affordable book bundles through its new initiative, “A Library for Every Home.” The initiative offers 20 curated book packages from various cultural sectors, aimed at encouraging reading within households through accessible pricing and carefully selected titles.

There is also a dedicated Naguib Mahfouz collection featuring 15 of his major works.

Spotlighting Egyptian Heritage

A new addition to the fair is the Ahlena Camp, which debuts this year as a dedicated space highlighting Egypt’s intangible cultural heritage across its governorates. The fair also includes specialised cultural salons and tailored programming for children and families, expanding its focus beyond book sales to broader cultural engagement.