A mountain gorilla in the forest at Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Photo: NNA News

NNA News - Rwanda has named 22 baby mountain gorillas at the 21st Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony, highlighting the country's efforts to protect the endangered species while linking conservation with tourism and community development.

The ceremony was held on Friday, September 4, in Kinigi, Musanze District, at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park. It brought together local communities, conservationists, researchers, government officials, tourism and business leaders and international guests. Held under the theme “Conservation is Life: Sustaining the Future,” the annual event has become a major platform for Rwanda to showcase its mountain gorilla conservation programme and the partnerships supporting it.

Rwandan Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva, who attended the ceremony as guest of honour, said the recovery of the mountain gorilla population had been built through sustained cooperation between governments, communities and conservation organisations. “In the early 1980s, there were only about 250 mountain gorillas left in the Virunga Massif. Today, there are more than 1,000 mountain gorillas in the world, including more than 600 in the Virunga Massif,” Nsengiyumva said. “This remarkable recovery did not happen by chance. It was built through the persistence of rangers, the expertise of veterinarians and researchers, strong conservation policy, responsible tourism, and the recognition that no single actor could do this job alone.”

Rwanda Development Board Chief Executive Officer Jean-Guy Afrika said the progress demonstrated what could be achieved through long-term conservation partnerships. “The mountain gorilla demonstrates what sustained commitment, strong institutions, community partnership and international partnerships can achieve. This is an extraordinary conservation achievement, but it is also a reminder that our work must continue,” Afrika said.

Distinguished Namers and participants pose for a group photograph during the 21st Kwita Izina Gorilla Naming Ceremony in Kinigi, Musanze District, Rwanda, on 4 September 2026. Rwanda Development Board (RDB)

The 22 gorillas named this year bring the number named through Kwita Izina since the ceremony became an official annual event in 2005 to 460. More than 1,060 mountain gorillas now live in the wild across the Virunga Massif and Bwindi ecosystem, with more than 600 in the Virunga Massif, according to RDB. The species is currently the only great ape whose population is increasing. The recovery has followed decades of work involving governments, rangers, veterinarians, researchers, conservation organisations and communities.

RDB says Kwita Izina also reflects the relationship between conservation, tourism and community development. Rwanda's Tourism Revenue Sharing Programme allocates 10 percent of national park tourism revenue to communities surrounding protected areas, with funds supporting projects including schools, health centres, water infrastructure and livelihoods.

The ceremony draws on a centuries-old Rwandan tradition of naming newborn children in the presence of family and community. Since its official launch in 2005, Kwita Izina has developed into an international conservation event centred on Rwanda's mountain gorillas and their habitat.