RDB and TOURISM AND CONSERVATION PUBLISHES ‘KWITA IZINA 2010’ PROGRAMME
The following programme has been published now for the forthcoming Kwita Izina celebrations this year, and intending visitors can now prepare where they want to go in Rwanda and what event they wish to see in person:
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY AND KWITA IZINA CEREMONY PROGRAM
Day 0: 28th/05/2010: Press Conference to announce the WED and Kwita Izina activities
Day I: 29th /05/2010 Community Work (Umuganda) an official launching of World Environmental Day and Kwita Izina week activities highlighting the role of conservation of mountain gorillas. This will be on usual date for “Umuganda Rusange” of May 2010
Day II: 30/05 to 1st /06/2010: WED and Kwita Izina National Cycling Tour
To sensitize our communities and Rwanda citizens in whole on Environmental Conservation through Kwita Izina Cycling Tour to promote a carbon free environment. This event will be organized in partnership with Rwanda Cycling Federation and the cycling tour will be combined with exhibition of environment friendly products and a public campaign for environment management.
Day III: 2 June 2010: WED and Kwita Izina Soccer
Link WED and Kwita Izina with the FIFA World Soccer Cup tournament in South Africa&emdash;from Kwita Izina to World Cup. This will be a joint soccer with FERWAFA.
Day IV- 3rd June 2010: Environment and Conservation Conference and this will focus on “Celebrating the international year of Biodiversity”
The Environment and Conservation Conference will bring together environmentalists and conservationists to share experiences and future plans in the conservation of the biodiversity, ecosystem management and green economy and protection of the mountain gorillas as well as other threatened species and their ecosystems. The conference will demonstrate Rwanda’s willingness and ability to play a regional role in environmental management and gorilla conservation and will also be earmarked by the launch of biodiversity policy Wildlife Policy and the post conflict environmental assessment report.
Proposed topics that will be discussed by international guest speakers are;
Conservation of national parks for green economy
Payment of ecosystem services for sustainable development
Reducing biodiversity loss for future generations
Carbon offset and sequestration
Day V, 4th June 2010: Umuganda and Community Projects launching, general public exhibitions/expositions on environmental initiatives and Community party “Igitaramo”
On 4th June will be an opportunity for Rwanda to carry out the community work (Umuganda) with international dignitaries while planting trees in Kigali at Nyandungu wetland will be done as a symbolic way to promote a carbon free and green economy. The emphasis will be on wetland ecosystem for management and sustainable development.
On the same date Rwanda Development Board will launch new community projects realized surrounding Volcanoes National Park as part of the Kwita Izina week activities.
Since 2003 different community projects have been implemented through gorilla revenue sharing and support of Partners with the aim of alleviating poverty.
The traditional party called “Igitaramo” whereby different cultural dances are performed is a very exciting event organized by the Rwandan Community. This cultural extravaganza which involves different traditional dances such as superb “Intore dance “and “Ikinimba” will take place in celebration of the new born baby gorillas.
DAY VI, 5th June 2010: World Environment Day & 6th Annual Kwita Izina Ceremony
5th June marks the first time Rwanda is hosts the World Environmental at the global level and this will be celebrated in conjunction with the annual Kwita Izina Ceremony. On this day, we shall be celebrating the successes of gorilla conservation by giving names to the new baby gorillas. The focus will be on “Raising global awareness of biodiversity conservation as we give names to our baby gorillas” with honoured guests from International and regional Community Rwanda’s leadership, private sector local community, Gorilla Range States, and renowned conservationists and supporters of Kwita Izina.