The Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK has launched another campaign to correct distorted perceptions of Africa. Following its initiative to rectify inaccuracies about Africa in elementary school textbooks, VANK is now working to raise awareness of the original name of one of Africa’s most iconic natural heritage sites — Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls, located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe in southern Africa, is a world-renowned destination. However, its name dates back to the 19th century colonial era when British explorer David Livingstone named it after Queen Victoria, a symbol of imperialism at the time. Today, both domestic and international media, textbooks, and encyclopedias continue to use only the name “Victoria Falls.”
In reality, the waterfall’s original name is “Mosi-oa-Tunya,” which means “The Smoke That Thunders” in the local language. UNESCO, when designating it as a World Heritage Site, officially adopted the dual name “Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls.”
As part of the campaign, VANK has created posters that reveal the hidden pain and colonial history behind the majestic scenery of Mosi-oa-Tunya, highlighting the symbolic significance of restoring indigenous place names.
VANK emphasizes that a place name represents the identity, history, and pride of its people. Recognizing and remembering the true name and original identity of a location is a duty of responsible global citizens.
VANK also underscores that Koreans, having directly experienced colonial oppression and historical distortion, can strongly empathize with such efforts. For example, in 2024, Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration was re-established as the National Heritage Administration — part of a broader movement to eliminate the vestiges of Japanese colonialism and restore Korea’s identity.
Through this campaign, VANK hopes that spreading the true name “Mosi-oa-Tunya” will mark the beginning of global solidarity for historical justice and the restoration of memory. Moreover, VANK aims to challenge the Western-centric narrative structures and traces of imperialism, working toward a more balanced and reciprocal approach to diplomacy.
Netizens can easily download the campaign posters from VANK’s official website and the global photo-sharing platform Flickr. VANK encourages people to share these posters with family and friends to amplify the campaign’s message worldwide.
Additionally, VANK operates the policy proposal and communication platforms “Woollim” and “Yeollim” to promote Korea’s advanced policies as part of the Korean Wave (Hallyu). Through these platforms, VANK hopes to expand the interest of over 200 million Hallyu fans worldwide beyond pop culture to include Korea’s rich and proud history. Ultimately, VANK aims for this trend to evolve into “K-Policy Hallyu,” influencing both Korean policy and global change.
For the “Mosi-oa-Tunya” campaign, VANK is also running a related petition on its Woollim platform, calling on the international community to correct Western-centric naming practices and address the remnants of colonial heritage.