Rwanda features on CNN global travel series
Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Rwanda’s tourist attractions are being featured on the latest edition of Quest’s World of Wonder, a travel show hosted by journalist Richard Quest, who came to the country in early February and spent time covering a number of topics.

Under Quest’s World of Wonder, the host travels to landmark locations around the world, explores popular tourist spots and meets influential locals who provide an insight into the region's heritage and culture.

For more than a week (from March 20 to 29), the show will be spotlighting a number of Rwanda’s attractions including mountain Gorillas, culture homegrown solutions like Umuganda, fashion, historical topics like the genocide against the Tutsi, among others.

Speaking on his experience filming the show, Richard Quest said: "I knew a visit here was bound to be exceptional, but it’s lived way beyond my expectations. The way the people here have faced historic horrors and then moved forward into the future… Take it from me, Rwanda is part of our World of Wonder.”

During his visit, Quest visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial to reflect on the country’s past.

Here, he met people determined to unite, renew, and move the country forward while educating future generations.

Honore Gatera, the Director of the Kigali Genocide Memorial and a survivor of the Genocide told Quest why it’s important to remember the atrocities,

"You'll never be able to prevent mass atrocities, genocide, and hate, if it doesn't start with the personal and individual commitment to the cause.”

The programme also explores Rwanda’s cultural scene as Quest meets the creative force behind a new fashion brand, Rwanda Clothing, which imports fabrics from across the continent and transforms them into bespoke garments.

Founded in 2012, Joselyne Umutoniwase told CNN that she hopes to bring Rwandan fashion to a global audience,

"I think every time someone takes an outfit from here, in this showroom, travels with it, to New York, to London, to Paris, that outfit can tell a different story of Rwanda.”  She explains that the garments represent many aspects of Rwanda: "I think it's the image of Rwanda. I sell the image. I sell the creativity, the energy of the people. I sell the dream of the people who wants to move forward.”

In the final part of the show, Quest’s World of Wonder showcases the reason so many tourists visit Rwanda – mountain gorillas.

Quest and his crew climb the Virunga Mountains with trekking guide Francoise Bigirimana, who had previously worked alongside renowned primatologist Dian Fossey.

The programme witnesses them first-hand and hears about the conservation efforts taking place in the country.