Egypt: PM, Cultural Minister inaugurate 51st edition of Cairo International Book Fair

The Prime Minister of Egypt, Mostafa Madbouly and the Minister of Culture Ines Abdel-Dayem have inaugurated the 51^st edition of the Cairo International Book Fair on Wednesday, January 23 in Cairo.

The Cairo International Book Fair is the largest and oldest book fair in the Arab world, held every year in the last week of January in Cairo. The Fair is considered the most important event in the Arabic publishing world.

The program of this annual event includes seminars, intellectual and literary meetings, cultural forums and round tables, conference-debates as well as signing sessions for literary works, APA News noted. According to the organizers, this 51^st edition of the Cairo International Book Fair will be marked by the launch of two prizes to reward African studies as well as the best stand of the show.

Ines Abdel-Dayem stressed the importance of the cultural event at a recent press conference in Cairo. She said on the opportunities to open up on new cultures adding that her department has diversified the programming of this edition through the programming of a series of cultural activities.

The Cairo International Book Fair is one of the biggest book fairs in the world, drawing hundreds of booksellers from around the globe and about 2 million visitors each year. It is the largest book fair in the Arab world, as well as the oldest. In 2006, it was the second largest book fair in the world after the Frankfurt Book Fair.