Friday, February 03, 2012

Cairo’s book fair is back


By JOSEPH MAYTON / THE MEDIA LINE02/01/2012 The Jerusalem Post

Writers and readers alike reflect on revolution in Egypt's first major international cultural event since Mubarak's overthrow.

Bookstore
CAIRO - One-year ago Egypt was embroiled in massive street protests. A Day of Rage occurred as the country rose up after decades of dictatorship to force out its aging dictator, who had promised years earlier to “remain in office until death.” Like much else in the country back then, the Cairo International Book Fair fell victim to the chaos.
Protests and strikes are still the norm in Egypt, where many fear the interim government of generals ruling Egypt threaten the revolution. But something else has returned from last year: the Cairo book fair is back. Some 745 publishers from 29 countries (17 of them Arab) are taking part in the fair, which runs until February 7.

And revolution is in the air. Besides the usual cultural activities, a section this year is dedicated to the testimonies of the revolutionaries. Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, is the guest of honor, with a group of the country’s intellectuals and artists attending in order to share their experience with revolution.
Amnesty International, the London-based human rights movement, is displaying its literature at this year’s fair, a first ever for the organization, which has had a testy relationship with Egypt’s interim military government.
Full story at The Jerusalem Post

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