Tuesday 28 Jan
Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, and Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hanno, Minister of Culture, witnessed, Friday, the launch of the new mobile application “Kitab” (book). It coincides with the launch of the activities of the fifty-sixth session of the Cairo International Book Fair, in the presence of a number of cultural and technological leaders. The app houses over 2000 books by more than 1000 authors. It covers a wide range of topics, from literature and history to science and biographies.
Talaat emphasized that the 'Kitab' application aligns with a shared vision between the Ministries of Communications and Culture. This vision aims to integrate Egypt's rich cultural heritage with modern technology by making it accessible to all. The 'Kitab' application is a free, publicly available digital library featuring over 2,000 books provided by the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Communications has dedicated months to developing a user-friendly application equipped with the latest reading and learning features.
He explained that the second version will include
audiobooks, catering to those who prefer listening. A similar application for
the Egyptian Music Library is also under development. Moreover, AI will be
utilized to translate more books, expanding access for Egyptian and Arab
researchers. These initiatives aim to enhance knowledge and cultural
accessibility for Egyptians and Arabs through inter-ministerial collaboration.
Dr. Talaat emphasized that the book fair champions Egyptian
culture, delving into the rich history and heritage across all fields of
knowledge. It consistently demonstrates Egypt's position as a prominent hub of
knowledge and culture.
Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hanno, Minister of Culture, expressed
gratitude for the successful partnership with the Ministry of Communications.
Together, they have established the necessary technological infrastructure for
this project. This collaboration exemplifies the collaborative efforts of
government departments in leveraging technology to advance the cultural sector.
Hanno emphasized that digital books will foster global
engagement with Egyptian culture by making it readily accessible online. He
highlighted the app as an integral part of the global digital shift, aiming to
democratize access to books and other cultural resources. The app boasts a comprehensive
digital library encompassing a diverse range of books, empowering users to
explore rich and contemporary cultural content.
The 'Kitab' application is a pioneering cultural initiative
that leverages digital platforms to provide a comprehensive collection of
cultural and knowledge-based content. This empowers users with easy access to
books across diverse fields. The project represents a strategic collaboration
between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the
Ministry of Culture, aimed at fostering digital culture in Egypt and expanding
knowledge access through modern technology.
By creating an account, readers can seamlessly browse
electronic books on their mobile devices. They can curate a personalized
library, enabling features such as note-taking, organization, highlighting,
bookmarking, and integrated searches on Google or Wikipedia. Additionally,
readers can either read books online or download them for offline access.
Future plans for the application encompass the integration of text-to-speech
functionality for audiobook creation and the introduction of book purchasing
capabilities.
In attendance at the launch event were: Engineer Ghada
Labib, Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology for
Institutional Development, and Engineer Mahmoud Badawy, Assistant Minister of
Communications and Information Technology for Digital Transformation.
To download the app on Android, please visit the following link:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.mcit.digitalegypt.culturebooks
