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With VR, holograms, 2022 Cairo Int'l Book Fair launched

By Al Mayadeen Net
Source: The National
26 Jan 2022 23:51

From January 26 to February 7, 2022, the Cairo book fair this year brings new and interesting exhibits, technology being the main theme.

Cairo International Book Fair in the previous years.

On January 26, the 53rd Cairo International Book Fair will launch and will be in effect till February 7, according to the Egyptian culture minister at a press conference on Monday.

The concept of the event, which many have been long waiting for, will be 'Egypt's Identity - Culture & the Question of the Future.' Technology, moreover, will be one of the main themes, according to Ines Abdel Dayem, the Egyptian Culture Minister.

Millions attend the event every year, as the event typically takes place during the school winter break to pave the way for children and young adults to engage in the world of books. Last year, however, the book fair took place in June due to the pandemic.

Over 1,000 publishers from more than 50 countries around the world are expected to participate.

As part of the routine every year, one country is chosen and singled out as the 'main guest': the country's writers, authors, and famous works are brought into the spotlight. This year, the chosen country is Greece.

The event will take place at Cairo's largest exhibition hall, the Egypt International Exhibition Center, which stretches 40,000 square meters. The event, furthermore, will be launched by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

بالفيديو| وزيرة الثقافة تعلن بدء حجز تذاكر دخول معرض القاهرة الدولى للكتاب الكترونيا وطرق الدفع#معرض_القاهرة_الدولي_للكتاب_2022 pic.twitter.com/zVkbbUxV5d
— وزارة الثقافة المصرية (@emcuture1) January 20, 2022

Virtual reality, holograms

Technology, according to the culture minister, is the main theme at the event. She announced that the General Egyptian Book Organization, for the first time, will be offering some electronic versions of renowned pieces of literature, including The Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, written by famous Egyptologist, Selim Hassan. The encyclopedia is a set of 16 volumes.

Yahya Haqqi (1905-1992) is this year's Egyptian honouree, whose works will be projected through holograms in an interactive exhibit - this will be the first time the fair would use such technology.

While Haqqi is the adult honouree, author Abdel Tawab Youssef is the children's honouree - one of these stories has been made into a film which could project through virtual reality, which is also the first experience of its kind at the fair.