The ADIB (Abu Dhabi International Book Fair) held its 33rd edition this year, from 29 April to 5 May at the ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.), with Egypt as the guest of honor. In a special tribute, the fair selected the legendary Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz, recipient of the 1988 Nobel Prize in Literature, as this year’s Focus Personality.
Discussions revolved around Naguib Mahfouz’s novels, and an exhibition dedicated to Mahfouz featured video footage of previous interviews with him and a detailed timeline of his career, all housed within the ADNEC.
The National covered the fair with a news article titled “How Egypt’s rich history powers the novels of Naguib Mahfouz.” The article featured the fair’s attendees, including Nevine El Kelany, Egypt’s minister of culture, Ahmed Zayed, director of Egypt’s Library of Alexandria, Berlant Qabeel, head of programming for the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, and Om Kalthoum Mahfouz, Naguib Mahfouz’s sole surviving daughter.
Notably, The American University in Cairo Press is the primary English-language publisher of Naguib Mahfouz and has published or licensed the Nobel laureate’s works in some 40 languages. Since 1996 the AUC Press has presented the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature, a major award in support of contemporary Arabic literature in translation.