Cairo – the Triumphant City – is the largest city in the Middle East and Africa. A fusion of past and present, the city today extends along the banks of the River Nile to the south of its delta and is a thriving and busy metropolis.

As one of the great cities of the world where past and present meet, you can find everything here, from 2,000 years of Islamic, Christian Coptic, and Jewish culture on one side to the Ancient Egyptian city of Memphis (Giza) on the other. Memphis was the renowned capital of the Old Kingdom and the site of the Pyramids, the only wonder surviving of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Set in 28 acres of land including an exquisite Chinese Garden, the Cairo International Convention & Exhibition Centre ( CICC ) with 16,000 sq.m. exhibition space is the only up-to-date centre in Egypt. Located a mere ten-minute drive from Cairo International Airport and several five star hotels, the Conference rooms feature the latest congress technology. The CICC also features a press centre designed to offer exemplary working conditions for press, radio and TV coverage, a fully equipped Business Centre providing all secretarial services in addition to a post office and restaurant facilities.

Arabic is the official language; English and French are widely spoken. Most foreign visitors will experience no difficulty communicating in the major tourist centres, hotels, airports, shops and bazaars.

Egypt’s time zone is GMT+02.00, with summer daylight saving time in effect from May to September. Weekends are on Friday, not Sunday. Some streets are closed on Friday for Islamic prayers. Some shops and currency exchange locations are closed on Sundays not Fridays, though many are open seven days a week. Most banks are closed on Friday and Saturday. Travel agencies and airline offices may close on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, depending on the management.

Cairo's weather is mild in winter, hot in summer. In May expect the temperature to average from a high of 32 degrees Celsius to a low of 18 degrees Celsius. The Cairo International Conference Centre and Exhibition areas will be air-conditioned.

Cairo International Airport, ten minutes from the downtown area and the CICC is served by all major international carriers.

Visitors are required to obtain an entry visa from Egyptian diplomatic missions and consulates abroad. Nationals from certain Arab countries and from Guinea and Malta may enter the country without a visa.