MUSANZE, Rwanda — The day dedicated to celebrating Rwanda’s mountain gorillas and the importance of their conservation has arrived, with the 21st edition of the annual Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony bringing together 23 prominent figures from around the world.
The individuals, drawn from the worlds of business, sports, arts, environmental conservation and tourism, are expected to name baby mountain gorillas during the ceremony taking place on Friday, September 4, 2026, in Musanze District.
Kwita Izina has become one of Rwanda’s major platforms for promoting environmental conservation and the protection of mountain gorillas, which play an important role in attracting tourists and generating economic benefits for the country.
The ceremony is inspired by the Rwandan tradition of giving names to newborn children in the presence of family members, friends and the wider community. Rwanda officially incorporated the tradition into gorilla conservation in 2005, when it launched the first public gorilla naming ceremony.
Before Kwita Izina became an international conservation event, researchers and rangers working in Volcanoes National Park routinely gave names to newly born gorillas. The names helped them identify and monitor individual gorillas, their families, health, behaviour and social relationships.
Over the years, Kwita Izina has evolved into a global platform bringing together conservationists, researchers, government leaders, artists, athletes and other influential figures committed to protecting wildlife and the environment.
The 2026 Kwita Izina ceremony is scheduled to take place on September 4 in Kinigi, Musanze District, an area surrounded by the volcanic landscape that forms part of the habitat of Rwanda’s endangered mountain gorillas.
This year’s event focuses on the importance of environmental protection and safeguarding the future of biodiversity. A total of 22 baby gorillas are expected to be named, bringing the number of gorillas named through Kwita Izina since its establishment in 2005 to 460.
KIGALI TIMES