In late January–early February 2025, we at İntrotema were pleased to attend the 56th Cairo International Book Fair, Egypt’s most important annual publishing event. Organized by the General Egyptian Book Organisation and held at the Egypt International Exhibition Center in New Cairo, it brought together over 1,345 publishing houses from 80 countries under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Under the inspiring slogan “Read… In the beginning was the Word”, the Fair ran from January 23 to February 5, 2025. This year, the Sultanate of Oman was the guest of honor, while Dr. Ahmed Mustagir was selected as the featured personality of the Fair in recognition of his work both as a scientist and a poet.
At Cairo, we had the opportunity to present the books we represent to a diverse audience of publishers, authors, translators, and literary agents from across the Arabic-speaking world and beyond. The Fair’s cultural programme—seminars, workshops, and public panels—gave us valuable insights into trends in Arabic publishing, translation rights, and children’s literature.
Participating in Cairo International Book Fair helped us to build new relationships with regional publishers, explore potential translation and co-publication projects, and deepen our understanding of what readers in the Arab world are seeking. We left the Fair energized by inspiring conversations, with promising leads for collaborations and a renewed sense of the importance of cultural exchange.