Kate Webster is in Rwanda for the Kwita Izina and the Business of Conservation Conference
Rwanda has a strong focus on conservation – and so they should, protecting some of the last remaining mountain gorillas in the world that reside in the country.
It is not only the gorillas that are a focus, with the conversation and dedication to conservation spanning country wide.
Rwanda Development Board recently held the fifth edition of the Business of Conservation Conference at the Kigali Convention Centre on 7 – 8 September, 2019. The two-day forum brought together conservation and tourism experts from around the world to discuss, debate and find solutions for conservation challenges.
The Business of Conservation Conference is a Rwandan event introduced in 2005 with the aim of creating awareness of conservation efforts for the endangered mountain gorilla, focused on the theme ‘Conservation is Life’.
The event coincided with 2019 Kwita Izina celebrations. In its 15th year, the Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony, also focused on the theme Conservation is Life’, took place in Kinigi, Northern Province of Rwanda on 6, September where 25 infant mountain gorillas were named this year.
To further the celebrations, Kigali Arena hosted its first-ever concert on Saturday 8 September, with headliner American R&B superstar Ne-Yo and thousands in attendance, including President Paul Kagame.
The Rwanda Development Board Chief Tourism Officer, Belise Kariza, said the Kwita Izina Business of Conservation Conference is “an important forum bringing together you, the conservation and tourism experts from around the World, to discuss, debate and find solutions to the challenges we all face in conservation today – in Rwanda, in Africa and Globally.”
Business of Conservation Conference provides the opportunity to renew profession working friendships and networks, as well as establish new ones. The Conference is an important call to action in support of conservation and sustainable tourism in Rwanda and the new baby mountain gorillas that were named is yet another indicator that proves Rwanda determination to protect biodiversity assets.
Tourism is one of the key pillars of Rwanda’s economy, accounting for an estimated AUD638.8 million in 2017, according to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). These tourism dollars came from 1.7 million international visitors in 2018, an increase of eight percent on 2017 figures.
As a result of conservation efforts such as Kwita Izina, the population of the endangered mountain gorilla has increased again in 2018. The 2018 census estimates the number of mountain gorillas at 1004 in total (Virunga and Bwindi combined). In Virunga the gorilla population has risen to 604, living in 41 social groups. The Virunga Massif is comprised Mikeno Sector of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. Mountain gorilla numbers in the entire area had fallen as low as 242 in 1981.
IMAGE: Visit Rwanda and Kate Webster
