The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has announced that the Kwita Izina ceremony, Rwanda’s renowned baby gorilla naming event that had been postponed due to the Marburg virus outbreak, will now take place on September 5, 2025.
Traditionally held in Kinigi sector, Musanze District, near the headquarters of Volcanoes National Park, the event brings together a wide range of participants including celebrities, locals, and international guests eager to witness this unique conservation celebration.
This year’s ceremony marks the 20th edition of the event. It was initially scheduled for October 18, 2024, where 22 baby gorillas born since September 2023 were to be named. However, it was postponed without a specified reason, as mentioned in last year’s RDB statement.
RDB has now confirmed that the celebration will take place on September 5, 2025.
The Kwita Izina ceremony was institutionalized in 2005 by the Rwandan government as a permanent conservation tradition, aimed at protecting gorillas, appreciating daily caregivers, and celebrating the positive impact of gorilla conservation on surrounding communities.
Since its inception, 352 gorillas have been named over the past 19 years.
During the 2023 edition (19th), RDB announced that the 20th ceremony would be unique, with all previous name givers invited to participate.
According to RDB’s 2024 report on investment, tourism, exports, and trade, tourism generated $647 million USD, with a 4.3% growth compared to the previous year. Gorilla-based tourism alone contributed 27% of that revenue.
