Rwanda is preparing to celebrate its tenth anniversary with the ceremony known as “Kwita Izina”. This ceremony which consists in naming the new babies of the famous mountain gorillas by Virunga will coincide with the birth of 16 babies of the gorillas. This annual event will be celebrated on June 21, 2014 in Kinigi, at the foot of the Volcanoes National Park Rwanda.
It is in this context that activities related to tourism are planned to mark this event of “Kwita Izina”. It is among other things the exhibition of the EAC tourism trade on various activities and products that the region can offer.
This exhibition to be held in Kigali will last 3 days, from June 18 to 20, while June 21, 2014 will be the big day to give names to gorilla babies.
This event is not only very important in the tourism industry in Rwanda but also in the region, especially countries such as Uganda, the DRC and Burundi. It brings together various stakeholders in this sector and distinguished guests likely to invest, advocate or promote tourism in the region.
Kwita Izina is an annual event and is increasingly taking on an international character. Since its creation in 2005 until now, more than 170 babies of the gorillas have been named by different guest personalities. There we must hear President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame, various Hollywood stars, major journalists, tourism and conservation actors, among others.
More importantly, these species of mountain gorillas are endangered. The only remaining gorillas in the world live in the Virunga Park. The latter is shared between three countries including Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo. And the total number not exceeding 500, the bulk of whom live in the most secure and most visited part of Rwanda. All the more reason the awareness policy for the conservation of these mountain gorillas.
This Virunga Park, with its mountainous terrain and layered vegetation, is unique in the world. There are also other high mountain animals such as antelopes, mountain buffaloes, etc., whose numbers are constantly growing.
Rwanda’s policy is that the surrounding population benefits from the dividends of this park. This is why part of the income goes into the coffers of the State and another part is directed towards the development activities of the communities of the populations. A sum of over $978,065 has already been injected into these activities by RDB in order to promote community development.
