Pastor Eddie Jjumba, Eve Moriti, Anita, Evelyn N. Join Voices to Celebrate Ubuntu Summer BBQ 2025

By Male Deogratius

Excitement is building across Toronto’s African and Caribbean diaspora as Hope for Refugees International (HRI) prepares to host the first-ever All-Africa Newcomer Community Summer BBQ – Ubuntu Summer BBQ 2025 on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Trinity Bellwoods Park, 790 Queen Street West, Toronto, from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

Themed “Celebrating Black Refugee Resilience, Culture, and Community,” this landmark gathering is expected to bring together more than 300 African and Caribbean refugees, asylum seekers, and newcomers from across Ontario.

Patrick Mwesigye, Founder and Program Manager of HRI, calls it “more than just a BBQ… a cultural homecoming and a celebration of unity across the African and Caribbean diaspora. We’re building spaces where joy is resistance and community is healing.”

Community Leaders Share Their Excitement

The event has already captured the hearts of leaders, volunteers, and community members:

“I am happy to be part of the Ubuntu Summer BBQ. It’s an amazing opportunity to come together, mingle, share stories, meet new people, celebrate the community, and enjoy the summer with others in the communities.”
— Eve Moriti, HRI Volunteer / Kenyan Community Member

“Can’t wait to connect, share stories, and just enjoy the ubuntu—this BBQ is all about celebrating where we’ve come from and who we’re becoming together. Good vibes, good food, and pure African energy—see you there!”
— Anita, HRI Volunteer / Kenyan Community Member

“I know that the All Africa Newcomer Community Summer BBQ (Ubuntu Summer BBQ) will be a joyful opportunity for connection and community building for not just African communities but all newcomers in Canada who are looking to connect to sharing similar goals and experiences.”
— Evelyn N., HRI Volunteer / Nigerian Community Member

“Thank you Hope for Refugees International, for striving to bring us together and keep us together, both in happy and sad times—it is good to come together. Our African wisdom keeper Chinua Achebe said, ‘A man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to save them from starving… We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.’ I look forward to the BBQ.”
— Pastor Eddie Jjumba, Ugandan-Canadian Community Leader

What to Expect at Ubuntu Summer BBQ 2025

Guests can look forward to:

• Live African & Caribbean DJs and Performances

• Delicious Traditional BBQ (Nyama Choma)

• Cultural Games, Dance Competitions, and Prizes

• Outdoor Fun including volleyball, rope pulling, chess, scrabble, and more

• Vendor Marketplace for small and medium businesses

• Volunteer and Networking Opportunities

Pan-African Representation

This year’s Ubuntu Summer BBQ is being organized in collaboration with over 20 African and Caribbean diaspora communities in Toronto and Ontario, representing Kenyan, Ugandan, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Tanzanian, Malawian, Zambian, Zimbabwean, Somali, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Rwandan, Burundian, Cameroonian, and Congolese communities, among others.

Community partners include the Tanzania Women’s Association, Southern Africa Settlement Support Centre, and the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation (PWA).

Get Involved

• Vendor Spaces: $200 – email info@hopeforrefugees.org

• Volunteer Opportunities: Email to join the team

• Donations Welcome: E-transfers to info@hopeforrefugees.org

Ubuntu Summer BBQ 2025: Come for the vibes. Stay for the community. Leave with unforgettable memories.