Kwita Izina is a Rwandan ceremony of giving a name to a newborn baby gorilla and today once again thousands of Rwandans and foreigners have gathered in Kinigi, Musanze district to witness the official naming ceremony of 25 new baby gorillas.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of naming the next generation of mountain gorillas.

Kwita Izina is an annual  ceremony aimed to raise awareness on the conservation of mountain gorillas, promote Rwanda, and empower local communities of the Volcanoes National Park. Since 2005, Kwita Izina has grown from being a one day event to a week-long celebration with programmes that support conservation and community development.

Kwita Izina, Rwandan ceremony