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THIS WAS THE KWITA IZINA OF 2007
Kwita Izina
Third Annual Gorilla Naming and Fundraising Ceremony
“Rwanda’s Mountain Gorillas:
“Caring for Wildlife concerns us all”
Gorilla Naming background
The mountain Gorillas share with the human beings 98% of the genes and about a third of the world’s total mountain gorilla’s population live in Rwanda. The Rwanda Office of Tourism and National Park (ORTPN) and indeed the entire Rwandan community found it pertinent to extend the much cherished secular Rwandan tradition of naming every new born baby to the Gorillas as well.
Rwanda and the Mountain Gorillas
Rwanda is home to about one third of the 750 mountain gorillas only left in the world and for several decades now, the country has been at the forefront of gorilla conservation effort. The endangered mountain gorillas still survive in the Virunga Massif, a chain of volcanic mountains linking Rwanda to the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Uganda. The mountain gorillas still survives mainly thanks to the renewed efforts of the national conservation authorities, the local populations of the three countries, and the international NGO community through advocacy towards the protection of mountain gorillas and their active role in conservation. Rwanda has enthusiastically received thousands of international visitors and appreciates the revenues generated through gorilla tourism. Over the years, several international conservation organizations and donors have made substantial human and financial resources available to the gorilla conservation cause and continue to do so. Despite turbulences in the region in the recent past, conservation partners have been active in the protection of this species and their habitat. The government of Rwanda through ORTPN has put conservation high on the agenda and thus has chosen to practice ecotourism that is conscious and based on environmental protection.
Kwita Izina ceremony in Rwanda
On Friday 27th April 2007, the Rwanda Office of Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) unveiled Kwita Izina as the new Brand name for the Gorilla naming Event.
The ceremony of giving a name to a new born baby commonly known as “Kwita Izina” has been part of the Rwandan tradition for centuries. This ceremony has also been used for past 2 decades now to give names to new born gorillas. The names attributed to the gorillas play a great part in the program of monitoring of each individual and gorilla groups in its habitat. Since this started, the gorilla naming ceremony was internal to the ORTPN and its partners and especially among the field staff.
As a means of raising awareness at the national and international level about the protection of the mountain gorilla and their habitat. ORTPN launched the annual gorilla naming ceremony in 2005. The theme of 2005 ceremony was “Ensure the future of the mountain gorillas of Rwanda". In 2006, the theme was "Recognize the role of the international tourists who selected Rwanda as destination". During these two last ceremonies which were very successful, 30 and 12 mountain gorillas respectively were named.
On Saturday, June 30th 2007, ORTPN will be hosting the Third Annual Kwita Izina - Gorilla Naming Ceremony. At this event, names will be given to 23 mountain gorillas at the Volcanoes National Park. The theme for this year is “Caring for Wildlife concerns us all”. Under this theme, we shall celebrate the efforts of all those that have contributed to the wildlife welfare and its conservation. We are expecting over 100 key personalities in wild life conservation and business to attend the event.
The Third annual Gorilla Naming Ceremony would be an opportunity to celebrate the success of the collaboration that have been achieved in the protection and conservation of the Mountain Gorillas.
The Gorilla Naming campaign is aimed at ensuring the future of Rwanda’s mountain gorillas and will provide an opportunity for all those who care about the mountain gorillas to contribute to this common effort. Two different, but complementary activities are planned for this event. The naming Ceremony where selected people will be given the opportunity to name the gorillas in public, the second activity will be a fundraising gala dinner that would help to raise funds towards conservation of these endangered species.
For further details about the adoption opportunities to take part in the fundraising dinner, please check our website on www.rwandatourism.com or write to info@rwandatourism.com
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