KIGALI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda on Friday named 22 baby mountain gorillas born over the past 12 months during the 21st edition of the annual gorilla naming ceremony, known locally as Kwita Izina.
The event, held at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Musanze District, northern Rwanda, brought together local communities, conservationists, partners, and guests from Rwanda and around the world to celebrate the country's mountain gorillas and the continued success of its conservation efforts.
"A name for us is more than a celebration; it is a promise, and the promise we make to these gorillas is that they will have the protection, habitat, and conditions they need to grow, thrive, and reproduce," said Rwandan Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva while presiding over the event.
Speaking at the ceremony, Jean-Guy Afrika, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) chief executive officer, said that Rwanda's conservation model is built on a simple principle: protecting nature and improving people's lives must go together.
"Kwita Izina helps us share this vision with the world. It showcases Rwanda's conservation model, our tourism offering, and the partnerships that continue to position our country as a destination for sustainable, high-value travel and investments," he said.
The event was held under the theme, "Conservation is Life: Sustaining the Future." With 22 babies named this year, the total number of mountain gorillas named through Kwita Izina since it became an official annual event in 2005 now stands at 460.
More than 1,060 mountain gorillas now live in the wild across the Virunga Massif and Bwindi ecosystem. Mountain gorillas remain the only great ape whose population continues to grow, following decades of collaboration between governments, conservation organisations, researchers, veterinarians, rangers and communities, according to RDB. ■