The official opening of Sankofa Square, formerly Yonge Dundas Square was held on Saturday, 23 August 2025, in Toronto, Canada, as part of the Sankofa Day Celebrations.
The renaming coincided with the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, marking a historic moment for Ghana and the global African diaspora.
The decision to rename the landmark square followed a two-year consultation led by the Toronto City Recognition Review Community Advisory Committee, made up of Black and Indigenous leaders, residents, and business owners.
The move was driven by concerns over Henry Dundas, the square’s previous namesake, who delayed the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The celebrations, held under the theme “Looking Back, Building Forward,” featured cultural performances, art installations, music, storytelling, Ghanaian cuisine, and exhibitions of Ghana-made products.
The Ghanaian-Canadian community, led by the Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario (GCAO), showcased rich cultural heritage and pageantry.
Representing President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. James Gyakye Quayson, joined the event.
Hon. Gomashie described the renaming as “an act of remembrance, reclamation, and reparations,” adding:
“Toronto’s choice of Sankofa affirms African heritage in the global struggle for justice and underscores the power of memory in shaping a more equitable future.”
She further linked the renaming to Ghana’s Black Star Experience initiative, highlighting the country’s legacy of Pan-Africanism through PANAFEST, Emancipation Day, the Year of Return, and Beyond the Return.
Hon. Quayson, for his part, emphasized the shared story of the African diaspora and announced the upcoming Sankofa Freedom Movement Project, to be unveiled in Toronto next year.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and City Councillor Chris Moise pledged continued Canadian support, noting that the renaming reflects the city’s commitment to reconciliation, inclusivity, and confronting anti-Black racism.
The word Sankofa, from Ghana, means “Go back and get it,” a call to learn from the past to build a progressive future.
Its symbol, a bird reaching backward to grasp an egg, embodies survival, memory, and renewal.
On behalf of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Mrs. Maame Efua Houadjeto, represented by Kofi Atta Kakra Kusi, Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs, and Sena Sadat Abdulai, Project Officer at the Office of the CEO, used the occasion to promote Ghana as a preferred tourism and cultural destination for Canadians, diasporans, and global visitors.
Source: Ghana Tourism Authority
