Cairo: The opening ceremony was attended by Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Rahbi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Egypt and its Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States. The event was inaugurated by Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt, in the presence of senior officials and cultural figures.

During a visit to Oman’s pavilion, Ahmed Fouad Henou praised the Sultanate’s participation, recalling that Oman was the guest of honour at the previous 56th edition of the fair. He described Oman as a key pillar of cultural and artistic activity in the region and the Arab world, highlighting its deep-rooted cultural, scientific, and intellectual heritage.

Oman’s participation aims to present its intellectual output across diverse fields while further strengthening bilateral relations with Egypt, particularly in the cultural sector. The Sultanate’s pavilion features a wide range of publications spanning literature, culture, history, arts, jurisprudence, media, and tourism, offering visitors insight into Omani thought and creativity. A carefully curated selection of recent titles also seeks to facilitate access to Omani works for researchers, thinkers, and the wider public.

This year’s fair honours the late Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz as its featured personality, in recognition of his enduring literary legacy and contribution to the Arabic novel. Renowned artist Mohi El-Din El-Labbad has been selected as the featured personality of the Children’s Book Fair, celebrating his influential creative career.