Toronto has officially renamed its iconic Yonge Dundas Square to Sankofa Square, a change marked on Saturday, 23rd August 2025, with a day-long celebration highlighting Ghanaian culture and history.
The renaming coincided with the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. It followed a two-year consultation process by Toronto’s Recognition Review Community Advisory Committee, made up of Black and Indigenous leaders, residents and business owners. The change was driven by concerns over Henry Dundas, an 18th-century Scottish politician accused of delaying the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.
At the ceremony themed “Looking Back, Building Forward”, Sankofa Square came alive with cultural performances, art exhibitions, music, sports, storytelling, Ghanaian food and crafts. The Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario led participation from the local Ghanaian community.
Ghana was represented by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, and the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama.
Hon. Gomashie said: “The renaming of the Yonge Dundas Square to Sankofa Square is not merely a change of name, it is an act of remembrance and an act of reclamation and an act of reparations. It is a bold step towards justice and healing not just for the people of Toronto but for all Africans, at home and in the Diaspora.”
She added: “In renaming the Sankofa Square, Toronto sends a powerful message to the rest of the world that it is possible to face history with honesty, to dismantle legacies of oppression and commit to building an inclusive and equitable future. By choosing Sankofa, the city of Toronto affirms the importance of African heritage in the global struggle for freedom, justice and acknowledges the centrality of memory in the journey towards freedom.”
The minister also linked the move to Ghana’s Black Star Experience, the government’s flagship cultural programme, describing Sankofa Square as “a living space of dialogue, cultural exchange, education and empowerment.”
Deputy Minister Quayson stressed the importance of shared history, saying: “The story of the African Diaspora is woven into the fabric of Canada and the world. We also honour the presence of the white diaspora community that has made Canada a home. Sankofa teaches us that history must be faced together and that healing is collective.” He announced plans for a Sankofa Freedom Movement Project to be launched in Toronto in 2026.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and City Councillor Chris Moise pledged the Canadian government’s continued support for the initiative, affirming the strong diplomatic ties between Canada and Ghana.
The word Sankofa originates from Ghana and means “go back and get it”. The symbol, represented by a bird looking backwards while holding an egg, stands for learning from the past to build a better future. Toronto City Council voted 17–6 in favour of the change, describing it as part of the city’s commitment to confronting anti-Black racism, acknowledging the legacy of slavery and fostering reconciliation.
On behalf of the Ghana Tourism Authority CEO, Mrs Maame Efua Houadjeto, officials including 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 destination for Canadians, diasporans and people of African descent.
