00:00I'm going to have a great day.
00:02We are going to have a great day.
00:04I'm going to have a great day.
00:05I'm going to have a great day in Africa.
00:08Let's see what we have done.
00:30My name is Mr. Winnebe Mkaba Numushiti Mkuru.
00:39My name is the First Lady of the Republic of Rwanda.
00:46My name is Mr. Hwyke Gouvernuma.
00:52I'm Mr. Hwyke Gouvernuma.
01:28Mwrabi ziko kuwagahunda yogu saranganya inyunga ziva mubuchera rujendo ya tangye imyaka makumya abirishize ichumi kuijana biyumusaruro waparki vija mumishinga
01:42ya batulaje batulie parke zigihugu.
01:48Kugezubu imishinga ifite agachiro kamiriyari chuminumunani za mafaranga yurugwanda za ya zanye amashuri amavuriro amasoko ninzu zoguturamo.
02:05Ibi bi korgwa bi gabanya amakimbirane hagati abanu ninya masqua kandi bi tuma conservation ifa shabaturaje mumibero hon niza.
02:21Binagara gaza isano ili hagati yubuchera rujendo niterambere rjabaturaji.
02:29Ariku, uyumunsi suwa chugusa.
02:35Dufitin shuti za turitze hirdano hino kuisi.
02:40Nabashitzi baturitze mumahanga.
02:44Bahaje kudufasha kuita mazina.
02:46Mungi hanganirero dakore si chiongereza kugirangonabo wakurikire ibiomvuga.
02:59Right Honorable Prime Minister and Guest of Honor,
03:05Your Excellency, the First Lady of the Republic of Rwanda,
03:11Distinguished Namers and Guests,
03:13It is my great pleasure to welcome you to Kinnigi,
03:18at the foothills of the Volcanoes National Park,
03:23for the landmark 20th Kuitizina Gorilla Naming Ceremony.
03:29This is both a Rwandan tradition and a global call for conservation.
03:36Twenty years ago, His Excellency, the President,
03:40and Her Excellency, the First Lady,
03:45named gorillas for the very first time.
03:49At that time, few could have imagined
03:53that these platforms would turn into what it is today.
03:59Today, Kuitizina stands as a symbol of Rwanda's determination
04:04to protect its natural heritage,
04:08uplift communities,
04:09and share biodiversity with the world.
04:14This year, we celebrate the naming of 40 baby gorillas,
04:18bringing the total, since 2005, to 438.
04:24Their names, rooted in Rwanda's culture and conservation values,
04:30symbolize hope and continuity.
04:34Kuitizina is more than a naming ceremony.
04:38What began as a ranger's practice
04:41has evolved into a global movement.
04:44The theme of this year reminds us
04:47that wildlife protection must go hand-in-hand
04:51with empowering the people that live alongside of it.
04:57Tourism, anchored in conservation,
05:01continues to drive our national transformation.
05:04In 2024, the sector generated $647 million,
05:11with gorilla tourism alone
05:13contributing over $200 million.
05:23Rwanda's conservation record speaks volumes.
05:27The mountain gorilla population in the Virunga
05:30now exceeds 600.
05:32But beyond gorillas,
05:35Rwanda reintroduced lions and rhinos to Akagira,
05:39and in 2025,
05:42completed the world's largest translocation
05:45of 70 white rhinos.
05:49Let me repeat this again.
05:50In 2025, Rwanda completed
05:53the world's largest translocation of rhinos,
05:5770 of them.
06:00Today, our country proudly hosts the Big Five.
06:09Thanks to a robust legal and policy framework,
06:14including laws and master plans
06:17on biodiversity, national parks, and conservation,
06:21forest cover now stands at 30%,
06:26with nearly 9% of land on the protected areas.
06:31Crucially, communities are benefiting.
06:36Through the tourism revenue share program,
06:3810% of park revenues are systematically invested
06:42in local development.
06:45Over 1,200 projects were supported,
06:52including schools, health centers, markets, homes,
06:57and agricultural hubs across the country.
07:01None of this would be possible
07:04without the dedication of our rangers,
07:08trackers, guides, veterinarians,
07:12researchers, porters, communities,
07:16and our international partners,
07:18including neighbors like you.
07:20To all of you, we extend our deepest gratitude.
07:25We're also grateful to our sponsors
07:28who have made this year's milestone celebration possible.
07:32Special thanks to our conservation lead partners,
07:35our sustainability partners,
07:37our Big Five conservation partners,
07:39and our wildlife resilience partners.
07:42As we celebrate this 20th edition of Kuitizina,
07:48let us honor what we have achieved
07:51and renew our commitment
07:53to the next 20 years of progress.
07:58I thank you very much.
08:00Murakose Chan.
