Rwanda will mark the 20th edition of baby gorilla naming ceremony Kwita Izina on Friday, September 5, in Musanze District, where thousands of people will gather for a celebrity-studded event that celebrates the conservation of the primates. 40 baby mountain gorillas, including 18 born in 2024, will be named during the ceremony traditionally held in Kinigi, in the foothills of Volcanoes National Park. ALSO READ: Kwita Izina: 40 gorilla babies to be named this year The event returns after the 2024 ceremony was postponed due to the Marburg outbreak in the country. Organised by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Kwita Izina is both a cultural celebration and a high-profile conservation platform that recognises the role of communities, rangers, trackers and researchers in protecting mountain gorillas. ALSO READ: Beyond Kwita Izina: What else awaits visitors in Kinigi? At least 20 namers have been confirmed, including global celebrities, conservation experts, business leaders, and park rangers, football players, and royalty. The New Times provides the list of namers, as confirmed by the RDB. Michelle Yeoh Yeoh is an Oscar-winning Malaysian actress and a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador. In 2023, she became the first Asian woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)’. Jean Todt Todt is the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety. He is a French motorsport executive and former rally co-driver who served as chief executive of Ferrari and presided over the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) from 2009 to 2021. Tunku Ali Redhauddin ibni Tuanku Muhriz He is the Prince of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, President of WWF Malaysia, and Chairman of Teach for Malaysia (TFM), contributing to environmental and educational initiatives. Yemi Alade Alade is a Grammy-nominated Nigerian Afropop singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her music blends Afropop, highlife, dancehall, pop, and R&B, influencing audiences across Africa and beyond. Javier Pastore Pastore is a former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder and international footballer from Argentina. He played for PSG between 2011 and 2018, making 186 appearances and scoring 29 goals. His presence at the ceremony is part of the Rwanda-PSG partnership renewed in April, running until 2028. ALSO READ: PSG legend Javier Pastore set for Kwita Izina ceremony Mathieu Flamini Flamini is a former Arsenal midfielder and now chief executive of GF Biochemicals. He co-founded the company that produces sustainable alternatives to petrochemicals, reducing environmental impact. Camille Rebelo Rebelo is the co-founder and chief operations officer of EcoPlanet Bamboo. She leads large-scale reforestation and nature-based solutions projects across multiple continents and has extensive experience in forest carbon and sustainable biomass initiatives. Susan Chin Susan is the Senior Vice President of Strategy & Advancement, as well as Vice President of Planning & Design and Chief Architect at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). She has worked with WCS since the 1980s, leading major projects in zoos, aquariums, and global conservation initiatives. David S. Marriott Marriott is Chairman of the Board of Marriott International, Inc., the world’s largest hospitality company with over 9,600 properties in 143 countries and territories. Princess Ingeborg zu Schleswig-Holstein Princess Ingeborg is a German-born artist and philanthropist. She is Chairperson of the Louisenlund Foundation, supporting educational and cultural initiatives. The foundation Athanasie Mukabizimungu Mukabizimungu is the founder and Chairperson of the Imbereheza Gahunga Cooperative. She empowers women to build rainwater harvest tanks, benefiting families, communities, and local biodiversity. Her initiative has built 286 tanks providing water to more 2,000 people. Reed Oppenheimer Oppenheimer is the Chairman and chief executive of the Reed Jules Oppenheimer Foundation. He has spent over five decades advancing nonprofits addressing poverty, food insecurity, social injustice, and economic inequality. He is a founding member of The Hunger Project and the Grameen Foundation USA. Sang-Hyup Kim Kim is the Director-General of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), leading sustainable development initiatives across developing countries. He spearheaded GGGI in 2012 as a full-fledged international intergovernmental organization. Alliance Umwizerwa Umwizerwa is a Gorilla Research Assistant with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. She supports scientific research and the conservation of mountain gorillas. Leonard Nsengiyumva Nsengiyumva is a Data Technician with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, assisting in collecting and analyzing conservation data to support gorilla protection programmes. Claver Ntoyinkima Ntoyinkima is a Senior Ranger and trainer at Nyungwe National Park. He was recently honored with the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award for his hands-on conservation work. Dr Yin Ye Dr Ye is the CEO of BGI Group and a Science Popularization Vlogger. He leads global biotechnology and genomics initiatives, providing research solutions and clinical diagnostics for medical institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and life sciences innovation. Dr Gaspard Nzayisenga Dr Nzayisenga is the Senior Field Veterinarian (Rwanda) with Gorilla Doctors. He is a frontline wildlife veterinarian who has conducted health checks and interventions for habituated mountain gorillas. Charlie Mayhew, OBE Mayhew is co-founder and CEO of Tusk Trust, which has over 30 years of experience initiating and funding wildlife conservation programs across Africa. He was awarded the OBE in King Charles III’s first Birthday Honours list for services to conservation and communities in Africa. Brenda Umutoni Umutoni is a ranger at Volcanoes National Park, actively involved in gorilla conservation and protection initiatives.
