CAIRO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Egypt launched an initiative on Thursday to distribute one million books to Egyptians of all ages, coinciding with the opening of the 56th Cairo International Book Fair (CIBF).
The CIBF, which runs until Feb. 5, opens to the public on Friday, with Oman as this year's guest of honor. Launched in 1969, the CIBF is considered the largest and oldest book fair in the Middle East and second only to Germany's Frankfurt Book Fair globally.
"The initiative is a serious step to advance culture and promote knowledge awareness in all fields, including literature, art, science, and translation," Culture Minister Ahmed Fouad Hano said.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Hano said the books would focus on human development and capacity building.
The initiative aims to distribute the books to schools, universities, youth centers, and human development organizations, covering subjects including history, science, and art, Hano said. Beneficiaries include the ministries of education, higher education, youth and sports, and social solidarity, as well as Al-Azhar University and the Journalists Syndicate, he added. ■