In its 40th session, the Cairo International Book Fair (CIBF) is organizing an array of cultural activities including intellectual dialogues, critical and philosophical discussions in addition to a number of theatrical, musical and plastic arts shows.

The fair's cultural programme this year is based on several pivots, on top of which comes the cultural role played by the late Dr. Soheir Al-Kalamawi considering her the first chairperson of the General Egyptian Book Organization (GEBO) since its establishment in 1969, and also the first to chair the CIBF.

The CIBF this year is celebrating the Cairo University centennial and the Cairo University Fine Arts Faculty centennial as well, as several intellectual and scientific seminars and symposiums will be held to review the great role of Cairo University over its great history.

Of the most important pivots of the fair is discussing a number of issues of main concern to Egypt and the Arab world such as issues of water, energy in the Middle East, peaceful use of nuclear energy, hence the fair aims to be a nucleus of an international forum to discuss such issues and raising them before those concerned.

The fair also discusses issues of intellectual property rights through holding a three-day international seminar in coordination with London International Book Fair to deal with exchanging rights of publishing among world publishing houses in presence of an array of both Arab and foreign publishers.

The fair as well celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Trilogy of Naguib Mahfouz, whose novels are still echoing high in the realm of literature as he played a great role in boosting and flourishing the cultural movements not only in the Arab world, but also allover the globe.