The 43rd Cairo International Book Fair (CIBF) has returned to the Egyptian capital with "a vengeance", reports The Egyptian Gazette.
The Fair is well-known and much-loved, attended by many people from miles around. It is the first international event to be held in post-revolutionist Egypt and its success gives hope that other international events will soon follow suit.
Selling both new and second-hand books, the Fair remains very popular and is something that may well attract visitors who are enjoying a holiday in Cairo, perhaps picking up some reading matter before commencing a luxury Nile cruise.
Held at the Nasr City Fair Ground, the CIBF comprises many separate pavilions, each housing hundreds of books exhibited by 745 publishers from Europe, Asia, the United States and the Middle East, not to mention Africa.
This year a poetry and novel-writing competition was launched, in addition to the cultural programme of seminars, "literary encounters", music and singing. There will also be two exhibitions of art and photography, plus a children's pavilion.
Culture minister, Shaker Abdel-Hamid told Al-Ahram Weekly that the CIBF was viewed as a "cultural wedding filled with passion and happiness", presenting Egypt to the world as a safe place to visit.
Certainly those who visited were positive: "For me, the Cairo Book Fair is not about books but enjoying the place and the festive mood," commented student, Karim Hesham.
The fair runs until 7 February.