President Paul Kagame on Saturday received Jean Todt, the United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety, and his wife, Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh, at Village Urugwiro.
The couple is in Rwanda to attend the 20th edition of Kwita Izina, the country’s annual gorilla naming ceremony, held Friday in Kinigi, Musanze District.
As part of the ceremony, Yeoh named her baby gorilla “Rwogere,” while Todt chose the name “Ruvugiro.” Yeoh, who also collaborates with the UN on environmental protection, has long advocated for wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism.
Todt, a French national and former Ferrari Formula 1 team director, served as president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) from 2009 to 2021. In his role as UN Special Envoy, he focuses on improving global road safety and transport quality standards.
Yeoh, a Malaysian-born actress, is internationally acclaimed for her performances in films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, Crazy Rich Asians, and Everything Everywhere All at Once, for which she won an Academy Award in 2023. She is widely recognized as a trailblazer for Asian actors in Hollywood.
The visit highlights Rwanda’s growing global visibility and its achievements in conservation, with Kwita Izina serving as a symbol of the country’s commitment to protecting mountain gorillas and promoting sustainable tourism.
