Amid anticipation, social pressure, and high expectations, the golden jubilee of Cairo International Book Fair will start on Wednesday 23 January and will last until 5 February.
The Minister of Culture, Inas Abdel Dayem, announced on Monday the details of the event taking place for the first time at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre located in the Fifth Settlement.
Moving the Middle East’s biggest book fair was not the only change in the current edition. Ticket prices will increase to EGP 3, instead of the long-stable price of EGP 1. The ministry of culture previously announced that it has increased the rent of pavilions by 20%.
In a press release, Abdel Dayem announced the participation of 35 countries in the 2019 edition, of which three countries will make their debut, Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria. Seven European countries will take part in the event, besides 16 African and seven Asian countries.
The Arab League will be the guest of honour of this edition which was dedicated to commemorate Egyptian veteran writer Tharwat Okasha and prominent literator Suhair al-Qalamawi.
Abdel Dayem said that the fair will host 579 Egyptian publishing houses, of which 62 will participate for the first time. As for the foreign books, they will find their way to the fair through 170 publishing houses, with 24 of them join the fair for the first time too.
The fair provides 723 exhibition halls for a total 1,274 exhibitors. The new venue was built on an area of 24.000 sqm, an large area of which was dedicated to low-priced books up to EGP 10.
For 14 days, the fair will open its doors to visitors from 10am to 8pm, with the support of 580 volunteers from public universities.
The fair will also host 130 cultural events for both children and adults, including concerts, ballet performances, and poetry nights.
