Today we meet on the International Child's Book Day organized annually by the International Children's Book Council. We seize the chance of such celebration to push forward the fruitful action for the continual development of the child book in Egypt. Since its establishment, our council is in continuous challenge so as to give the children's book a form and content coping with the international book standard.

We are not only convinced of the importance of the children's books as an entrance to the current informational world, but also of our continuous interest to provide our children with the best way for education. We do believe that our children should not be deprived of what other kids over the world have obtained of educational, cultural or recreational opportunities.

I think you agree with me that we have succeeded in covering a long distance on our way and that a big section of those who are working in the children's book in Egypt have achieved the goal in reaching a production standard in form and content similar to what we see in international fairs in Frankfurt and Bologna for instance.

• I am not exaggerating in saying that developing the children's books in Egypt was not an easy or feasible matter but there were many challenges. I still remember the day when we decided to establish the first child book fair in Cairo and at that time the child's publication was limited, only few people were excellent in this field and the books' standard was not good in variety, quality and technique.
We were sure at this moment that we have to make a quick move and massive effort to achieve our aims as follows:

• Give opportunities to discover young talents everywhere in Egypt through providing prizes in the field of drawing and writing for children.

• Give opportunity to publishers to participate in international fairs.

• Form an Egyptian branch for (TBBY) to communicate with the developing world in children's book as well as making use of such branch in training cadres working in this field.

• Encouraging publishers to increase their products by giving the opportunity to excellent books to be studied in schools.


Actually, these aims were achieved in a few years. Many positive signs appeared which drove us to begin the second step under institutional frame and the Egyptian Child Book Council gained a great and specific role so we put new aims briefed as follows:

• Creating competition incentives among publishers through developing Suzanne Mubarak Prize in Child Literature to include publishers, writers and professional painters.
• Widening the creative base in this field through facilitating the professional task of talented elements.
• Integrating into "Reading for All" project to reach the largest section of society.
• Promoting reading habits for children.

Now I'd like to ask you all a question: What then? Challenges are renewed everyday in an age where information powers are augmented day after another. We have to qualify our kids to deal with such developments.

Hence, I see it's high time to have our action pivot as to dedicate "value" as a social behavioral concept and a criterion measuring human conduct. Values may be aesthetic, social or intellectual that achieve in the long run great human advance.

Such orientation necessitates taking care of writing and directed publications. Can children books confront this challenge alone?

I think there's a real partner of significant importance i.e. children magazines.

No doubt children magazines obtain great interest by press and culture people. We currently have a lot of children magazines that should not be regarded as mere means of entertainment. The target is deeper and more comprehensive. Being periodical, cheaper, more diverse and attractive make them play a crucial role in building up the children culture.

Now let's ask ourselves the following queries to try to find the best answer:
• Do the available magazines today suit the child that lives in the present world stuffed up with information?
• Does the diversification of current magazines satisfy all tendencies and needs of children or still there are areas of interest that suffer some deficiencies?
• Do available magazines achieve ample distribution for all society elements?
• Do available magazines meet different age phases, or there are missing ones? I mean here the teenage stage in particular.
• Is there real balance between areas dedicated for science and facts compared with those set for fiction stories?
• Finally, do we have a scientific magazine that we can really boast of?

Such questions confirm that were are in need of having a new vision for children magazines in Egypt. We look forward for a qualitative shift of children magazines in Egypt.

I do thank you are all waiting for our ambitious goals to be achieved at your hands.