Victor Mooney, the Goree Challenge rower who has retraced one of the harrowing routes of the transatlantic slave trade (The Middle Passage) on a fourth try, is set to embark on an inaugural visit to Belgium this month with a decisive goal: to repatriate a significant artwork depicting the brutal era of the Congo Free State.

He will be continuing his journey to Germany for the second leg of retrieving invaluable pieces of artwork, then fly to Equatorial Guinea.

This initiative is intended to serve as a powerful symbol of healing, heritage, and hope for the Central African nations of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi, and their former colonial powers. The ownership of the artwork is irrevocably outlined as the property of these African nations.

The repatriated artwork will first be unveiled at The Central Africa International Tourism Fair in Equatorial Guinea which runs from October 27 through November 2, with the Lufthansa Group serving as the official airline.

Mooney’s unique history of cultural and humanitarian diplomacy began profoundly in 1994 during the groundbreaking NBA South Africa Tour, where he forged a bond with the Democratic Republic of Congo born, basketball icon and renowned humanitarian, Mr. Dikembe Mutombo. This pivotal meeting catalyzed a significant cultural bridge: with the subsequent blessing of former NBA Commissioner Mr. David Stern, Mooney founded the New York Knicks Fan Club Soweto, even arranging for its newly named President to meet legendary Knick, Mr. Patrick Ewing, who joined the historic traveling delegation.

This foundational engagement established a decades-long commitment to grassroots international relations, culminating most recently in a high-profile diplomatic moment at the 2024 Korea–Africa Summit, where Mooney presented a symbolic stone to the Republic of Korea. The formal significance of this gesture was highlighted during the unveiling ceremony in New York, performed by H.E. Mr. Zéphyrin Maniratanga, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Burundi to the United Nations and then-Chair of the Africa Group for the month of May.