The 57th Cairo International Book Fair (CIBF) will be the largest in its history, with 1,457 participating publishing houses from 83 countries and Romania named as the Guest of Honour, Minister of Culture Ahmed Fouad Hanno announced during a press conference on Monday.
The fair, held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, is scheduled to take place from January 21 to February 3 at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre in New Cairo. Hanno stated that the Ministry is preparing an “exceptional version” of the event that inspires Egyptian creativity and opens wider horizons for dialogue and knowledge.
“This session gains special importance as it follows the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, which redirected the world’s attention to Egypt’s ancient civilisation,” Hanno said. He noted that this global event influenced the fair’s identity and cultural programme, which this year celebrates Egyptian history as a source of creativity.
The fair has designated the late Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz as the “Fair Personality,” while artist Mohie Eddin al-Labbad has been chosen as the personality for the Children’s Book Fair. Qatar has also been announced as the Guest of Honour for the 2027 edition as part of the Egyptian-Qatari Cultural Year.
According to Ministry figures, the event will feature a total of 6,637 exhibitors and a cultural programme consisting of 400 events, 100 book signings, and 120 artistic performances. Approximately 1,500 intellectuals and 170 Arab and international guests are expected to participate, including figures such as Adonis, Shawqi Bazie, Hassan Najmi, Ibrahim Nasrallah, Wassini al-Araj, and Inaam Kachachi.
Hanno announced the “Library for Every Home” initiative, designed to integrate reading into daily Egyptian life by offering a selection of 20 diverse titles from the Ministry’s sectors, alongside a “Naguib Mahfouz Bag” containing 15 of his most prominent works.
The Ministry also confirmed the launch of the “Naguib Mahfouz Prize for the Arabic Novel,” sponsored by the National Bank of Egypt with a value of EGP 500,000 and a commemorative gold medal.
Olivia Toderean, the Romanian Ambassador to Egypt, stated that the selection of Romania as Guest of Honour coincides with preparations for the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Romania in 2026. Romania’s participation will include 30 events over 13 days with 60 guests, including the Romanian Minister of Culture.
Ahmed Megahed, Executive Director of the CIBF, highlighted that the fair is targeting the youth demographic, which accounts for nearly 80% of its audience. He noted that the celebration of Naguib Mahfouz will include an exhibition titled “Naguib Mahfouz Through the Eyes of the World,” featuring 40 artworks from international artists.
The event will also introduce a professional segment for the exchange and purchase of intellectual property rights among publishers. The opening ceremony, titled “Youssef Chahine: An Egyptian Tale,” will mark the centenary of the director’s birth, while the closing ceremony, “Ghna Al-Qahira,” will include the presentation of the inaugural Naguib Mahfouz Prize.
Khaled Abul-Leil, acting head of the Egyptian General Book Organisation, said the organisation will issue several new publications regarding the fair’s central personalities and noted the return of the “Fousoul” series after a three-year hiatus.
Farid Zahran, President of the Egyptian Publishers Union, described the edition as a “major step forward,” specifically citing the expansion of exhibition spaces and the “Cairo Calling” programme for publisher cooperation. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers Union, added that the Cairo fair remains the most popular in the Arab world, with the previous edition exceeding five million visitors.
