Events
When it comes to celebrations, Rwanda has few rivals in the world of events and festivals, that’s why visitors come from far and wide to experience one of our many incredible events. Rwanda, truly is, the Perfect Stage for Events.
Kwita Izina
Rwanda’s Gorilla Naming Ceremony
Experience one of the world’s most important celebrations of nature and meet Rwanda’s newborn baby gorillas
Kwita Izina is modelled off a centuries old tradition in which Rwandans name their children in the presence of family and friends. In 2005, Rwanda began officially naming mountain gorillas in what has become a global celebration of nature. By giving a name to these majestic animals, we give them a value they undoubtedly deserve.
The ceremony is an opportunity to thank the communities that live around Volcanoes National Park, our research partners, vets and the dedicated conservationists, rangers and trackers who protect the gorillas. Over the last 18 years, 374 mountain gorillas have been named.
Tour du Rwanda
Rwanda’s cycling stage race
Through national and international media coverage of quality, beautiful landscape of the country of thousand hills are seen all over the world.
Each year, riders from far away (USA, Belgium, Canada, France, …) or closest (Kenya, South Africa, Eritrea, Algeria, Gabon, ..) are challenging the Rwandan riders on their land.
TOUR DU RWANDA allows African riders to highlight in the context of a passage in professional and well run in the top professional teams in the world’s elite. Thus, the first 3 of 2010 edition included a big team (Orica-Green Edge for Daniel Teklehaimanot, Team Europcar for NatnaelBerhane and Argos Shimano for Reinardt Van Rensburg).
The very international palmares (a Moroccan, an Eritrean, an American, two South Africans and a Rwandan were winners) confirms the sport quality of TOUR DU RWANDA.
Ubumuntu Arts Festival
An art centric festival
Art has manifested itself world over as an efficient form of communicating, expressing opinions, airing issues and sharing values about all aspects of life that affect humanity. We are convinced that art as a forum for communication, expression, reflection, innovation and creativity is a key motor for social change. The word Ubumuntu can be defined as “Being Human”. Our festival aims at creating an avenue where people from different walks of life can come together and speak to each other in the language of Art. As Desmond Tutu has said “My humanity is bound together in yours, for we can only be human together.” His profound words have been the inspiration behind the festival slogan: “I am because you are, you are because I am: we are human together”.
Ubumuntu Arts Festival is the brainchild of Hope Azeda; a major figure in contemporary Rwandan theatre, and, the founder and Artistic Director of Mashirika Performing Arts and Media Company – a leading theatre company in Rwanda. The Ubumuntu journey started when Hope submitted its idea to the Africa Leadership Project as her leadership project proposal. Needless to say her proposal received great feedback and as they say, the rest is history!
The festival was first held in 2015 and happens annually following the last week of the 100 days commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. It is held at the outdoor amphitheater of the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre and brings different artists from around the world to convene in Kigali Rwanda. Festival activities include but are not limited to performances, workshops, panels and genocide memorial site visits. The festival is free and open to everybody and therefore relies on donations and sponsors for financial support.
KigaliUP Festival
Rwanda’s premiere music festival
Since it launched in 2011, KigaliUP has rapidly become Rwanda’s premiere music festival, and one of the finest in Africa.
Every year, usually during the northern summer months, they bring local and international reggae, blues, hip-hop, and pop acts to Kigali, where they thrill their equally international audience with sounds from around the world.
Thousands of fans attend every year, but it’s still an intimate, personal affair, and you’re likely to catch the same people who were rocking on stage the night before giving fans a drum lesson the next morning.
Upcoming & Ongoing Events
Looking for something to do in Kigali? Whether you’re a local, new in town or just cruising through we’ve got loads of great tips and events. You can explore by location, what’s popular, Eventbrite’s top picks, free stuff… you got this. Ready?
