Every baby gorilla born in Rwanda's Virunga forest gets a name in front of thousands of people — a centuries-old naming tradition turned into one of Africa's largest conservation celebrations.
Kwita Izina means "to give a name" in Kinyarwanda — modeled directly on the Rwandan tradition of naming newborn children in front of family and community, adapted since 2005 to name every mountain gorilla born in Volcanoes National Park that year.
The 21st Kwita Izina — Friday, September 4, 2026
Held at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi, Musanze District, under the theme "Conservation is Life: Sustaining the Future." 22 baby gorillas were named, bringing the total named since 2005 to 460. Namers included filmmaker Alastair Fothergill, Olympic high-jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim and former France captain Patrice Evra. Next: the 22nd Kwita Izina is expected in September 2027; the date hasn't been announced yet. Source: Rwanda Development Board.
Video via YouTube — Visit Rwanda, RDB's official tourism channel, the 21st Kwita Izina ceremony live from Kinigi, September 4, 2026
Kwita Izina has grown from a small local tradition into a week-long national event, but the ceremony itself follows a consistent structure each year.
Namings take place on a large bamboo structure built each year in the shape of a silverback gorilla, at the foothills of the park in Kinigi.
Each baby gorilla is named by a chosen individual — a mix of Rwandan officials, international conservationists, and public figures invited for the year.
Names aren't random — they typically reflect the gorilla's birth circumstances, family lineage, or a hope for its future, echoing how Rwandan children are named.
The tradition itself was set by Rwanda's own leadership: at the very first Kwita Izina in 2005, President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame named the ceremony's first-ever surviving twin gorillas — Byishimo ("Happiness") and Impano ("Gift"). The First Lady remains a regular presence at the ceremony each year.
Since then, Kwita Izina has grown into a genuine global draw. Past namers include actors Idris Elba and Danai Gurira, comedian Kevin Hart, musicians Akon and DJ Khaled, model and activist Naomi Campbell, footballers Didier Drogba, Sol Campbell, and Gilberto Silva, and philanthropist Graça Machel. King Charles III has taken part both virtually and, more recently, in person.
Comedian Ellen DeGeneres has one of the deepest ties to the park specifically — the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund sits near Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi, and she's returned to Rwanda multiple times since 2018, including a visit timed to the 2026 ceremony.
Before this, park rangers and researchers informally named gorillas simply to track individuals and family groups.
Every naming doubles as a live population count — a public, celebratory way of tracking Rwanda's gorilla conservation progress. The 22 names given in 2026 brought the total to 460.
The ceremony is typically held on the first Friday of September at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park, Musanze District.
Confirmed for Friday, September 4, 2026 — worth checking current-year details closer to the date, as timing can shift.
A conservation exhibition in Kinigi, Musanze, showcasing Rwanda's mountain gorilla conservation journey and the communities behind it.
Special screenings in Kigali and Musanze of the documentary narrated by Sir David Attenborough, with a Kinyarwanda version narrated by Félix Ndagijimana.
The 21st Kwita Izina itself, in Kinigi — 22 baby gorillas named on the bamboo silverback stage at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park.
Afrobeats star Rema headlines the closing concert at BK Arena in Kigali, the culminating entertainment event of the week.
Source: Rwanda Development Board · kwitaizina.rw
A $49M "Smart Green Village" broke ground in Kinigi
Days before Kwita Izina, Rwanda broke ground on a $49M Smart Green Village for 547 households relocating as part of a planned ~3,740-hectare expansion of Volcanoes National Park. Alongside it, the 2026 Tourism Revenue Sharing allocation — RWF 1.98 billion split across the four districts bordering the park — was announced, part of a program that has reinvested over RWF 23 billion in surrounding communities since 2005.
The ceremony is free and open to the public, and pairs naturally with a gorilla trek earlier in the same visit.
Back to Volcanoes National Park