
Sankofa – our Akan word that translates “to go back and get it,” signifying reflecting on and reclaiming teachings from the past – has gained international recognition as the new name for a popular downtown ‘Yonge-Dundas Square’ in Toronto.
Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto has officially been renamed Sankofa Square, and will be inaugurated tomorrow, Saturday August 23, 2025 with fun fair, according to Secret Toronto.
On Sankofa Day, as the event is called, there will be a free, all-day celebration featuring music, food, art and more. It marks the culmination of the renaming process, which began in 2023 after a city council voted to rename the square due to its namesake’s association with the transatlantic slave trade.
Following recommendation from a committee of Black and Indigenous leaders, the decision for the name change was officially approved by Toronto City Council. The decision to drop the previous name, Dundas, was because of its historical connection to Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville – an active politician from the 1770s to the early 1800s who, during the British Parliament debate on slavery abolition motions, delayed the process!
The renaming also affects other city assets like the Dundas and Dundas West subway stations and the Jane/Dundas Public Library. A public education campaign will also be launched to acknowledge the impact of the transatlantic slave trade and slavery.
The post MICE Cafe: Becoming Sankofa Square in Toronto appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.
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