On 6 May, the American University in Cairo Press, in collaboration with the Friends of the Manial Palace and the Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo, celebrated Islamic art and architecture at the Mausoleum of Khedive Tewfik, popularly known as Qubbat Afandina, in Cairo’s Northern Cemetery. The mausoleum, the subject of a recently completed conservation project, was opened for the event by the Minister of Awqaf, H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Hamdy Zakzouk, and Prince Abbas Hilmi, the great-grandson of Khedive Tewfik. The celebration featured a number of recent AUC Press publications on Islamic art and architecture, including The Treasures of Islamic Art edited by Bernard O’Kane, The World of Islamic Art by Bernard O’Kane, Cairo of the Mamluks by Doris Behrens-Abouseif, The Building Crafts of Cairo and Muhammad Ali and His Sabil by Agnieszka Dobrowolska, Architecture for the Dead by Galila El Kady and Alain Bonnamy, and Creating Medieval Cairo by Paula Sanders. A number of AUC Press authors were present, including Agnieszka Dobrowolska, who was responsible for the restoration of the mausoleum. Displayed inside the mausoleum were arabesque chairs from Abdeen Palace used during the celebration of the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, and parts of the elaborately embroidered kiswas made in Egypt during the nineteenth century for the Kaaba in Mecca. The event attracted many guests, among them diplomats, architects, writers, members of the AUC community, and many other AUC Press friends, all of whom were fascinated by the neo-Mamluk architecture of the mausoleum and its impressive restoration, as well as by the quality and variety of publications on art and architecture by the AUC Press.

This year the AUC Press Bookstore celebrated the Spring Book Fair on April 5–7, and featured a huge variety of books, some with incredible discounts of up to 80%!  Set up in the Main Campus, the Book Fair attracted students, staff, faculty, and many other AUC Press friends.

The AUC Press celebrated the memory of Swiss artist Margo Veillon in an open house exhibition on March 29, where many of her paintings were exhibited, and which was visited by many fans of her work.

On March 24, the American University in Cairo Press celebrated the publication of a new book entitled The Eternal Light of Egypt: A Photographic Journey by Sarite Sanders. The celebration took place at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and featured a photo exhibition of 48 images from the book—unique portrayals of ancient Egyptian sites in dramatic black-and-white infrared photography. The event was inaugurated by the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Zahi Hawass. Author Sarite Sanders was also present at the event, which was attended by a large number of guests including diplomats, writers, journalists, photographers, AUC faculty and students, and many other AUC Press friends.

Several of the Arab world’s most prominent authors were guests at the American University in Cairo Press pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, 11–16 March. Among them were international best-selling novelist Alaa Al Aswany and award-winning authors Ibrahim al-Koni, Khairy Shalaby, and Bahaa Taher. Along with award-winning translator Farouk Abdel Wahab, the authors were present at the Fair’s Discussion Forum for interviews and book-signings.