H.E. Zéphyrin Maniratanga, Chair of the Africa Group for the month of May, and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Burundi to the United Nations, unveiled a stone that will be gifted by South African Arts International to the Republic of Korea at the 2024 Korea–Africa Summit recently.

The stone, plucked from outside the House of Slaves, a part of Gorée Island UNESCO World Heritage site by Don Víctor Mooney of South African Arts International, who made two failed attempts of rowing across the Atlantic Ocean from “The Door of No Return”, symbolizes the shared history of colonization between Africa and South Korea. The 2024 Korea-Africa Summit runs from June 4-5 in Seoul, Korea, under the theme – The Future We Make Together: Shared Growth, Sustainability, and Solidarity.

The Africa Group is made up of 54 African Union Member States. The bloc coordinates its efforts on various topics, ranging from health, migration, development, to issues of peace and security.

The Korea-Africa Summit is designed to reinvigorate Korea’s commitment to strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships with African nations that span a wide range of sectors: trade and investment, tourism, energy infrastructure, food security, climate change, global supply chains, and fostering the digital transformation.

Among other things, Mr. Mooney wrote to Mr. Lee Jae-yong, Samsung Electronics, Executive Chairman. He shared that Samsung has been on a journey with him since 2005. On June 3, he envisions to commemorate ‘Lee Kun-hee Day’ and present ‘Goree Challenge Award’ to Samsung.

Mr. Lee Kun-hee transformed Samsung into a global giant of smartphones, memory chips and televisions died on October 25, 2020, at 78. “Chairman Lee Kun-hee left a legacy to ‘Never Give Up’ and the pursuit for innovation”, said Mooney.

On his fourth try, Mr. Mooney completed the 21-month transatlantic row from West Africa to New York’s Brooklyn Bridge. On World AIDS Day at the Vatican, he presented a rowing uniform to Pope Francis with his family. Accompanied by his wife, Mr. Mooney is slated to arrive in Seoul next weekend.