Kwita Izina 2024 Rwanda’s Gorilla Naming Ceremony Don’t Miss Out!

The 20th Kwita Izina will be held on Friday, 18 October 2024, and celebrate the country’s commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism.

Meet the infant gorillas of Rwanda and take part in one of the most significant environmental festivities on Earth.

The Rwandan practice of naming a child in the midst of extended family and friends is the inspiration for Kwita Izina, which dates back hundreds of years. As part of a worldwide movement honoring wildlife, Rwanda started legally naming mountain gorillas in 2005. We are unquestionably doing these magnificent creatures the honor they deserve by bestowing upon them a name.

Those who live in the area surrounding Volcanoes National Park, as well as our research collaborators, veterinarians, and the hardworking rangers, trackers, and conservationists who ensure the safety of the gorillas, will be recognized during the ceremony. There have been 397 mountain gorillas named in the past 19 years.


Kwita Izina 2024 – Save the Date

What is Kwita Izina?

The ceremony of giving a name to a newborn baby commonly known as ”Kwita Izina” has been part of the Rwandan tradition for centuries.

This ceremony has also been used for the past 3 decades now to give names to newborn gorillas. The names attributed to the gorillas play a great part in the program of monitoring each individual and Gorillas group in its habitat.

Since it started, the gorilla naming ceremony has been essential to Tourism and Conservation as well as its partners. The goal of Kwita Izina is to raise awareness of the protection of the mountain gorillas and their habitat.

The Kwita Izina Gorilla naming ceremony has received thousands of international, regional, and local visitors to its Virunga mountain ranges to visit the endangered mountain gorillas.

For decades, international conservation organizations, donors, and concerned individuals have made substantial resources available to the gorilla conservation cause and continue to do so. Each year the newborn gorillas are celebrated in an exciting event at the foot of the Virunga Mountains.

Previous Themes: Kwita Izina

2005: ”Ensure the Future of the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda “-30gorillas named

2006: ”Recognized the Role of the international Tourists who Selected Rwanda as Destination ”- 12 gorillas named

2007: ”Caring for Wildlife Concerns Us AII”-23 gorillas named

2008: Working together to conserve our Wildlife “-20 gorillas named

2009: Celebrating the year of the Gorilla”-18 gorillas named

2010: “Many Species, One Planet, One Future ” -14 gorillas to be named

Accomplishments of Kwita Izina

RDB has used this event to raise much-needed revenue through their Adoption Program that ensures they can finance initiatives that help them deliver on their promises to protect the mountain gorilla and achieve their mission to remove them from a list of endangered species. Individuals and Corporate Companies contributed for:

  • Sabying Community Lodge (SACOLA) cost Usd 1,2 million is now operational and will be launched during this years June Kwita Izina week
  • 10 Water Tanks were constructed
  • 2 Schools were constructed and equipped
  • Community Commercial Shop Complex in progress in Kinigi
  • PNV Buffalo Wall completed
  • A ten community projects were supported -Ex poachers association, Etc

Who has Attened Kwita Izina?

Since its Launch in 2005, Kwita Izina has attracted guests from all over the World.  Many leading personalities have taken part in naming the baby gorillas that were born in the previous year. H.E.President Paul Kagame and Mrs. Kagame launched the event in 2005 by naming the first mountain twin gorillas ever survived in the world. Since then many others have come including Hollywood Star Nathalie Cotman, Renowned American Conservationist Jack Hanna, many international media personalities, and business leaders

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Golden monkey

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The Great Apes of Uganda and Rwanda

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