Kwita Izina 2025 (The 20th Rwanda’s Gorilla Naming Ceremony)
On Friday, October 18, 2025, a naming ceremony for the Kwita Izina gorilla is planned in Rwanda. The 20th Kwita Izina will be held in Kinigi, Musanze District, on the foothills of Volcanoes National Park. In addition to being a custom for naming infant gorillas, the event honours conservation efforts and the value of preserving mountain gorillas.
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
“The name I give him is Ubwuzuzanye, which means Harmony since the restoration of harmony between nature, people and planet is the most critical issue facing humanity.”
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales (@ClarenceHouse) virtually names a baby gorilla at today’s #KwitaIzina. pic.twitter.com/SdcvDk58Hy
— Kwita Izina (@Kwitaizina) September 2, 2022
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
🦍 Ukwiyunga of the #Segasira family welcomed her daughter on 15 February 2024!
She’ll receive her name at the 20th #KwitaIzina ceremony in Kinigi, @MusanzeDistrict, celebrating a new chapter in securing the future of Rwanda’s mountain gorillas.#VisitRwanda🇷🇼 pic.twitter.com/N5e3fqOQnp
— Kwita Izina (@Kwitaizina) September 30, 2024
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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Tours for Short Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari Packages are Itineraries for gorilla trackers who have a few days in Rwanda. Short Rwanda Gorilla Safaris range from 1 Day Rwanda Gorilla Trek to 4 Day Rwanda Gorilla Tours. The popular Short Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Tour itineraries help tourists who have a few days to stay in the country but wouldn’t want to miss out on meeting the elusive Mountain Gorillas.
1 Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking
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2 Day Gorilla Trekking Rwanda
This 2 Days Gorilla Trek Rwanda is a short Gorilla safari well customized for tourists who would want to have only a Gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda in the shortest time possible but not much exhausting as the 1 Day Gorilla tour. Two Days Gorilla Trekking Rwanda is a perfect option for tourists already in Rwanda, especially in Kigali or those arriving at the airport early morning on the first day and departing late evening on the second day.
Gorilla Safari and Dian Fossey Hike
Book an all-inclusive 3 Days Gorilla safari and Dian Fossey hike. It is a 3 days 2 nights Rwanda Gorilla trekking tour and hike to visit the grave of the famous primatologist Dian Fossey who lost her life to poachers in the park while conserving Mountain Gorillas. Taking time to visit her grave doesn’t only offer a great hiking experience but is a good time to learn about Mountain Gorilla conservation. She was buried within Volcanoes National Park as she wanted to, just close to the grave of her favorite gorilla.
Rwanda Gorilla And Chimpanzee Itinerary
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Budget Gorilla Trekking Rwanda
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