Authenticité (Zaire) in different local languages including Kikongo, the "river which swallows all streams". Mobutu also renamed the Congo river and the national currency "Zaire", and referred to them as ""Les Trois Z—Notre Pays, Notre Fleuve, Notre Monnaie"" ("The Three Zs—Our Country, Our River, Our Money"). In addition, cities were renamed appropriately (Léopoldville as Kinshasa and Stanleyville as Kisangani). Streets, bridges, and other geographic features, as well as the armed forces, received name changes. Zairians were urged to drop their Western or Christian names in favor of Zairian names. Mobutu changed his own name from Joseph-Désiré Mobutu to Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku
Zaire 74 had to decide whether or not to cancel the event. The decision was made to move forward, and 80,000 people attended. In addition to promoting the Ali-Foreman fight, the Zaire 74 event was intended to present and promote racial and cultural solidarity between African American and African people. Thirty one performing groups, 17 from Zaire and 14 from overseas, performed. Featured performers included top R&B and soul artists from the United States such as James Brown, Bill Withers, B.B. King, and The Spinners as well as prominent African performers such as Miriam Makeba, TPOK Jazz, and Tabu Ley Rochereau. Other