His personal odyssey, a seven-month bicycle expedition, traversed three continents, covering Spain, France, Turkiye and Kazakhstan.

"China, the final leg of my journey, tested my limits under the relentless summer sun. Sandstorms, scorching heat, headwinds and flat tires became my constant companions. Yet, amid these challenges, it was the kindness of strangers that left an indelible mark on my soul," recalls Mosta in a recent travelogue.

Now, Mosta is preparing a photo exhibition that documents his extraordinary 204-day bicycle journey, following Battuta's legacy, in Auxerre, France. It is scheduled to open on June 5.

Like Mosta, Ayoub Bechrouri decided to develop his career in China, partly under his childhood influence from Battuta.

Bechrouri who came to China seven years ago and has worked as a journalist with China Arab TV in Beijing for two years, says "Ibn Battuta isn't just a historical figure — he's a national symbol, an icon of Moroccan curiosity. His accounts have made many Moroccans hunger to discover new places and impacted every Moroccan."