Editor,

The naming ceremony of a baby, anywhere in the world, is an important event celebrated distinctively. Likewise, the naming ceremony of baby gorillas popularly known as Kwita Izina, is a unique tourism event for Rwanda marked with much fanfare.

All roads lead to Kinigi , Musanze District , Northern Province on Saturday, 18 June , when Rwandans together with visitors from different parts of the world gather to witness the naming ceremony of 22 baby gorillas and take part in the accompanying celebrations.

The mountain gorilla has been declared an endangered species. Yet, there has been a healthy increase of 26 per cent in the population of mountain gorillas in Rwanda, since the last census taken in 2003.

This has mainly been due to the pro-active approach and apt preservation programs undertaken by RDB’s Tourism and Conservation department.

RDB needs to be applauded for planning the seventh edition of Kwita Izina to near perfection which will not only enhance the awareness for this unique tourism product, but will also showcase , in totality , the beauty of Rwanda - the land of a thousand hills and a million smiles.

I wish RDB a very successful Kwita Izina ceremony.
 
Clarence Fernandes
Chairman
Rwanda Renaissance
           and
Co-Chairman
Travel & Tourism Committee
Indian Merchants’ Chamber
clavinmarketing@gmail.com