In this issue: Taking charge of the narrative that surrounds our beloved continent, we set out to curate a selection of stories of exploration, discovery, reconnection and admiration for the land that connects us all. We aimed to fit all 54 African countries in one issue but quickly realized that that's an impossible task if we wanted to give each country the space and care their story deserves. Therefore, we present the first chapter of our 'Africa is not a country' trilogy.