Rwanda’s annual gorilla naming ceremony took on a broader significance on Friday as the country showcased its model of linking wildlife conservation with tourism and benefits for communities living near protected areas.
Thousands of visitors, conservationists, business leaders, researchers and celebrities gathered in Kinigi, Musanze district, for the 2026 Kwita Izina ceremony, where 22 baby mountain gorillas were given names.
The event has become a major platform for Rwanda to promote its conservation efforts and demonstrate how tourism revenue can support communities while protecting one of the world’s most endangered species.
Rwanda is home to more than 1,060 mountain gorillas, while 438 have been named since Kwita Izina began in 2005, according to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
Under the country’s tourism revenue-sharing programme, 10% of revenue generated from national parks is returned to communities living around them. More than 23 billion Rwandan francs has so far been channelled into communities, supporting about 1,300 projects, including schools, health centres, water infrastructure and livelihood initiatives.
Rwanda is also planning to expand Volcanoes National Park by about 3,740 hectares. The expansion is expected to benefit more than 17,000 people and 3,400 households while helping reduce conflicts between communities and wildlife.
Among the 22 people chosen to name the gorillas were prominent figures from sports, business, entertainment and conservation.
They included Shaikha Al Nuwais, who is set to become the first woman to lead UN Tourism; Atlético de Madrid chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín; former Manchester United and France captain Patrice Evra; and Qatari high-jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim.
Rwandan gospel singer Israel Mbonyi and actress Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo, whose film Benimana was selected for the Un Certain Regard section at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, were also among the honourees.
Other participants included cycling administrator David Lappartient, conservation advocate Kelly O’Meara and business leaders from the energy, mining and hospitality industries.
RDB says Kwita Izina is no longer simply a ceremony for naming gorillas but has become a showcase for a conservation approach that seeks to balance environmental protection, tourism and community development.
