On Saturday, August 23, 2025, Toronto officially launched the Sankofa Day Celebrations at the newly renamed Sankofa Square—formerly Yonge Dundas Square.
This landmark event coincided with the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, highlighting the cultural and historical significance of renaming the square after the Ghanaian heritage concept “Sankofa,” which means “go back and get it.” The symbol embodies learning from the past to shape a stronger, progressive future.
The renaming followed a two-year consultation process led by Toronto’s Recognition Review Community Advisory Committee, which included Black and Indigenous leaders, residents, and business owners. The initiative was sparked by a petition against Henry Dundas, the square’s former namesake, a Scottish politician who played a role in delaying the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
After extensive community dialogue and research, the committee reached a consensus on the new name Sankofa Square.
Held under the theme “Looking Back, Building Forward,” the opening ceremony featured cultural performances, art installations, storytelling, music, sports, Ghanaian cuisine, and the display of Made-in-Ghana products, paintings, and sculptures. Members of the Ghanaian community in Toronto, led by the Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario (GCAO), played a major role in the celebrations.
Representing the President of Ghana, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Dzifa Gomashie, emphasized that the renaming is more than symbolic.
“The renaming of Yonge Dundas Square to Sankofa Square is not merely a change of name—it is an act of remembrance, reclamation, and reparations. It is a bold step towards justice and healing for Africans both at home and across the Diaspora,” she said.
She added that Toronto’s choice sends a powerful message to the world: that confronting history with honesty, dismantling oppression, and committing to inclusivity are possible.
The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, also highlighted the collective nature of healing:
“The story of the African Diaspora is woven into Canada and the world. Sankofa reminds us that history must be faced together, and healing is collective.”
He further announced the upcoming Sankofa Freedom Movement Project, set to be unveiled in Toronto within a year.
Canadian officials, including Toronto City Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Chris Moise, pledged continued support for the initiative and reaffirmed the strong diplomatic ties between Canada and Ghana.
On behalf of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), representatives Kofi Atta Kakra Kusi (Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs) and Sena Sadat Abdulai (Project Officer, Office of the CEO) promoted Ghana as a top destination for Canadians, tourists, diasporans, and people of African descent.