Fifth Annual Gorilla Naming Ceremony “Rwanda’s Mountain Gorillas: “Celebrating the Year of the Gorilla”

On Saturday, June 20th 2009, the RDB|Tourism & Conservation – the successor of ORTPN– will host the Fifth Kwita Izina to give names to the newest arrivals in the Gorilla families. Names will be given to eighteen (18) mountain gorillas at the Volcanoes National Park.

This year’s ceremony coincides with the “International Year of the Gorilla,” proclaimed by the United Nations. The International Year of the Gorilla was launched at a ceremony in early December 2008, where Prince Albert II of Monaco and representatives of more than 100 governments gathered to discuss increasing measures for nearly 100 species endangered by pollution, climate change and over-hunting. By declaring 2009 the International Year of the Gorilla, the international community hopes to draw the attention of the public and funding agencies to the plight of these primates. As a country that has been in the forefront of gorilla conservation we heartily welcome the proclamation of the International Year of the Gorilla.

The theme for this year is “Celebrating the Year of the Gorilla”. Under this theme, we shall celebrate the efforts of all those that have contributed to the welfare of our wildlife and its conservation and give opportunity to everyone to contribute to the sustainability of conservation for Gorillas. We are expecting over 100 key personalities in wildlife conservation and business to attend the event.

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 and a Gorilla Conservation Conference that would help to celebrate the achievements in conservation of these endangered species.