The Cairo International Book Fair's 42nd edition opened Thursday with the welcome mat laid out for Russia, the guest of honour. President Hosni Mubarak opened the fair, which is a unique annual opportunity for Egyptian, Arab and foreign publishers and authors to present the richness of their works.. Exhibitors from around 31 countries are participating in the fair, which will run until February 13, with publishers from Poland, Denmark and Kazakhstan showing up for the first time, added Hosni. "The event showcases a host of cultural activities including a fair about his Ministry's current projects such as the new Grand Museum of Egypt, the new Fustat Museum and a big photo exhibition about the High Dam, which was built with Russian assistance in Aswan forty years ago," Farouq Hosni, the Egyptian Culture Minister said.. "The deeply-rooted relations between the two countries make Russia worthy of being welcomed as a guest of honour at the 42nd Edition of Cairo International Book Fair," the Minister added. The number of exhibitors in the fair, which opens to the public on Friday shows that the world financial meltdown has not had a severe direct impact on the world's dynamic book trade and industry, observers said. More than 800 publishers have joined the fair, Mohamed Saber Arab, the Chairman of the General Book Organisation, said. The exhibitors remain optimistic that the Cairo Book Fair will be a good opportunity to promote their products and clinch business deals with their Egyptian counterparts, Ahmed Salah, the fair Director, said. Meanwhile, Saber said that members of the Supreme Book Fair Committee had unanimously decided to select Russia as guest of honour in this year's event. He added that the decision reflected the deep relationed between Egypt and Russia. Helmi el-Namnam, the Organisation's Deputy Chairman, has said that many Russian publishers and writers are taking part in the fair, during which they will hold regular round-table meetings with their Egyptian colleagues to talk about the latest trends in contemporary Russian literature. He added traditional books, audio and video books, and educational software and other items would account for the event's offerings, said the fair director, adding that the Cairo Book Fair was the occasion for the publishers to showcase their products to hundreds of thousands of Egyptian readers.
