Gorilla Naming Ceremony Underway
Akon and Olusegun Obasanjo to lead other celebrities in this year’s Annual Gorilla naming Ceremony in Rwanda
At the foot hills of Volcanoes National Park, an annual ceremony of naming gorillas takes place at Kinigi Museum and this year’s ceremony slated for Friday 7th, September 2018 is graced by 23 world celebrities led by Akon, a US based Senegalese pop-star, Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian President and former South African first Lady Graca Machel. Among the highly profiled celebrities are some representatives from Arsenal, the English football to be in attendance confirmed by the Rwanda Development Board. All the 23 gorillas born in 2017 will be named in this year’s annual gorilla naming ceremony known as Kwita Izina started in 2005 with a sole purpose of creating awareness on efforts of conserving the endangered mountain gorillas.
“Mountain gorillas are a part of our natural resources and our heritage. It is everyone’s responsibility to conserve and protect biodiversity. In protecting gorillas, we have everything to gain,” President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame said in a statement at 2017’s ceremony where he graced. This year’s ceremony is comprises a music icon, philanthropists, conservationists, diplomats and sports personalities with the aim of increasing Rwanda’s tourism global appeal and creating awareness of conservation efforts for the endangered mountain gorillas.
Rwanda Development Board chief executive, Akamanzi Clare says their aim is to grow tourism income to $800 million by 2024 and can be achieved by “marketing Rwanda as a tourist destination in innovative ways”.
In 2017 alone, Rwanda earned $438 million from the tourism sector.
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Justine E
Tristar Africa Skimmer Safaris – News Reporter
