Honoring the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques

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In 2018, Victor Mooney, as the director and founder of the South African Arts International (SAAI), orchestrated a poignant moment in the skies above Riyadh. Aboard a Saudi Airlines flight, he held an inflight ceremony to unveil the Nelson Mandela Humanitarian Award, destined for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Recognizing the King’s commitment to the "Spirit of Humanity," the award served as a bridge between cultures—a bridge that was later formally hand-delivered to the Saudi Embassy in Washington, D.C.

"From the embers of a 1964 torch to the soccer ball being passed in Flushing, the message remains unchanged. Whether it is through the legacy of Nelson Mandela or Saudi Arabia’s "Growing. Together." initiative, the goal is the same. We are moving toward a world where peace wasn't just a theme for the 1964 World's Fair at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, but a standard for our lives. The soccer ball will hit the back of the net, and the world will be reminded once more: we are partners in this game, playing for the same team, moving toward the same goal", said Mooney.