On Friday, 5 September 2025, Rwanda will celebrate the 20th edition of Kwita Izina, the country’s flagship Gorilla Naming Ceremony, at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi.

This year, 40 baby mountain gorillas will be named, including 18 born in 2024 and 22 born the year before. The ceremony will bring together an extraordinary group of global leaders, artists, football legends, and conservation champions, alongside local rangers, trackers, and veterinary experts.

The event underscores the crucial role of communities in protecting Rwanda’s biodiversity and sustaining mountain gorilla populations.

Kwita Izina 20 Namers

1. Princess Ingeborg Zu Schleswig-Holstein – German artist, philanthropist, Chairperson of the Louisenlund Foundation
2. His Highness Tunku Ali Redhauddin ibni Tuanku Muhriz – Prince of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia & President, WWF Malaysia
3. Professor Senait Fisseha MD, JD – Vice President of Global Programs, Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation & Chief Advisor, WHO
4. Sang-Hyup Kim – Director-General, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)
5. David S. Marriott – Chairman, Marriott International
6. Dr Yin Ye – CEO, BGI Group & Science Popularization Vlogger
7. Charlie Mayhew & Caroline Mayhew – Co-founder and CEO, Tusk Trust
8. Claver Ntoyinkima – Senior Ranger Guide and Trainer, Nyungwe National Park
9. Michael Bay – Award-winning American film director and producer
10. Michelle Yeoh Todt – Internationally acclaimed actress & UNDP Goodwill Ambassador
11. Jean Todt – UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Motorsport Executive, former President of FIA
12. Matthew Harris – Founding Partner, Global Infrastructure Partners & Senior Managing Director, BlackRock
13. Jeanine Rema (Khadja Nin) – Internationally acclaimed Burundian singer, songwriter, and humanitarian
14. Mathieu Flamini – Arsenal Legend & CEO, GFBiochemicals
15. Laura Kabasomi Kakoma (‘Somi’) – Rwandan-American vocalist, composer, actor, and playwright
16. Yemi Alade – Grammy-nominated Nigerian Afropop singer and songwriter
17. Reed Oppenheimer – Chairman and CEO, Reed Jules Oppenheimer Foundation
18. Athanasie Mukabizimungu – Founder and Chairperson, Imbereheza Gahunga
19. Dr Edward Hult – CEO, Education First North America
20.  Suzanne Sinegal – Co-Founder and President, Rwanda Girls Initiative & Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology
21. Gagan Gupta – Entrepreneur, Conservationist, Builder of Africa’s Green Future
22. Camille Rebelo – Founder and CEO, EcoPlanet Bamboo
23. Luis Garcia – Atlético de Madrid Legend & Football Analyst, ESPN
24. Bacary Sagna – Arsenal Legend
25.  Xi Zhinong – Renowned Chinese wildlife photographer & Founder of “Wild China” film
26.  Lee Ehmke – Conservation leader, former President and CEO of Houston Zoo
27. Susan Chin – Senior Vice President of Strategy and Advancement, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
28.  Javier Pastore – PSG Legend
29.  Ruth Fisher – Corporate Attorney & President, Pereg Holdings
30.  Vivien Ressler – Creative and Philanthropist
31. Jean de Dieu Niyonzima – Student, Educational Institute for Blind Children, Nyaruguru District

Virtual Namers

32. Khaby Lame – Content creator and social media personality

33. Alliance Umwizerwa – Gorilla Research Assistant, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

34. Dr Gaspard Nzayisenga – Field Veterinary, Gorilla Doctors

35. Dieudonne Gato – Ranger, Volcanoes National Park

36. Theogene Bimenyimana – Head Tracker, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

37. Brenda Umutoni – Ranger, Volcanoes National Park

38. Leonard Nsengiyumva – Data Technician, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

39. Jean Marie Vianney (JMV) Zirimwabagabo – Ranger, Volcanoes National Park

40. Naume Mukabarisa – Ranger, Volcanoes National Park

RDB Chief Tourism Officer, Irène Murerwa, said:

“Kwita Izina 2025 celebrates 20 years of honoring mountain gorillas and the communities that protect them. The dedication of rangers, trackers, and researchers, alongside global and local champions, has helped increase the mountain gorilla population in the Virunga Massif from 880 in 2012 to over 1,060 today. Through initiatives like the Tourism Revenue Share Programme, conservation directly benefits communities, demonstrating that when nature thrives, so do people. This milestone reminds us of our shared responsibility to safeguard biodiversity for generations to come.”

The 20th Kwita Izina gorilla ceremony will be MC-ed by Makeda Mahadeo and Lion Manzi, featuring a performance by artists from Mashirika Performing Arts and Media Company, celebrating two decades of community-centered conservation.

The event will be broadcast live on Rwanda TV and the Visit Rwanda YouTube channel.

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For media inquiries, please email: communications@rdb.rw 
 

About Kwita Izina

Kwita Izina is inspired by a centuries-old Rwandan tradition of naming children in the presence of family and friends. Since 2005, Rwanda has officially named mountain gorillas, creating a global celebration of nature and conservation. By giving a name to each gorilla, the ceremony recognizes the species’ value and the communities, rangers, and researchers protecting them daily. Visit www.kwitaizina.rw for more information.