The Alexandria Book Fair (23 March-7 April) opened early this week at Somouha Sporting Club, Nevine El-Aref reports In the northern garden of the Somouha Sporting Club, dozens of blue book shelves have been set up, displaying more than a million books. For two weeks the Alexandria Book Fair (ABF) is to satisfy the appetites of the coastal city's readers, especially those of them who missed the 43th round of the Cairo International Book Fair in January. Ahmed Megahed, the director of the General Egyptian Book Organisation (GEBO) told Al-Ahram Weekly that ABF is intended to extend bridges of collaboration and harmony between the ministry of culture, the publishers union and society: "The ABF is the first step in a plan to spread the culture of reading printed books all across the country." This can only be achieved through GEBO-organised book fairs in different cities. A month ago the Port Said Book Fair was held; now books have come to Alexandria. "We have all the means to promote reading printed books," asserted Megahed. "Books are accessible, readers are available, especially after the revolution which raised the awareness of Egyptians in every way, encouraging the kind of cultural awareness of which reading is the second face." The real problem, he feels, is the geographic distribution of books and determining the means to promote them. "We have to transform book fairs into cultural events through talks about the book as a commodity along with the other facets of culture." Ahmed Salah, the head of Cairo International Book Fair, told Al Ahram Weekly that organising the ABF was a real challenge as it was established in only 48 hours. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina used to organise that event, he went on to explain, but this year GEBO did it. "In fact GEBO took on its shoulders the organisation of all the book fairs despite the obstacles it faced and local political events," he asserted: the Faisal Book Fair, the 43rd Cairo International Book Fair, the Port Said Book Fair and the ABF. According to Salah, the ABF brings together 80 publishers including GEBO, which is contributing 4,200 titles as well as 20 new Family Library books. GEBO offers a 20 percent discount on all its books. On the fringe of the fair, the Al Anfoushi group performed a selection of Egypt's folklore dances. The programme of poetry readings included an evening commemorating the father of vernacular poetry Bairam El-Tunsi.
