The details of this year's edition, which is set to conclude on February 10, were revealed in a press conference held by the General Egyptian Book Organization (GEBO), the official sponsor and organizer of the event.
The fair's opening date was changed for the second year in a row to avoid coinciding with the anniversary of the 25 January Revolution.
The fair's theme this year is 'Culture on the Frontline'. GEBO head Haitham El-Hajj Ali said that 'culture is the main solution to the problems of society and the firewall against the extreme ideas'.
Picking a theme for the fair is a new tradition set after the revolution, reflecting the political scene and mostly fighting radicalism with cultural endeavors. Last year, the fair's theme was 'Culture and Renovation', which reflected the ongoing demands of members of the political elite and intellectuals in Egypt to reform and renew religious discourse.
The countries participating in the fair include 21 Arab states and 13 non-Arab countries, with 550 publishers from Egypt, 250 from the Arab world, and 50 foreign publishers, in addition to 118 kiosks for used books.
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