The author recounts his first meeting with Samir Amin more than three decades ago and shares his working experience with this distinguished African scholar who was a mentor and father figure to many young researchers. 

The extraordinary and still amazing bravery of the European explorers, facing unknown seas and geography with just scarce scientific tools for orientation and survival has been celebrated. It is an extraordinary demonstration of human determination. That same bravery is displayed by today’s migrants to Europe.