Wyndham City welcomes new Citizens
Wyndham City proudly welcomed 54 new Australian citizens in an online Citizenship Ceremony on Friday 17 September, to officially mark Australian Citizenship Day.
This year, 17 September holds even greater significance as it marks the 20th anniversary of Australian Citizenship Day.
The Australian Government established the day in 2001 in response to a recommendation by the Australian Citizenship Council in their 2000 report Australian Citizenship for a New Century. The recommendation came from a proposal of the 1999 National Schools Constitutional Convention that a citizenship day be established to allow all Australians to celebrate their Australian citizenship.
17 September was chosen as Australian Citizenship Day as it is the anniversary of the renaming, in 1973, of the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 to the Australian Citizenship Act 1948.
Nineteen online citizenship ceremonies were conducted over the weekend on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 September. A total of 187 conferees from 27 different countries were represented, further highlighting Wyndham’s diversity.
Australia is one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world. Since 1949, more than five million new citizens have called Australia home.
Wyndham City Mayor Cr Adele Hegedich said: “Australian citizenship is the common bond which unites us all. Every year on this day, Australia welcomes thousands of new citizens in local communities across the nation.”
“Australian Citizenship Day is the perfect time to host an online citizenship ceremony and our commitment for our community’s multicultural diversity.”
Wyndham City’s Welcoming City portfolio holder Cr Jennie Barrera said: “Citizenship ceremonies help bond our community together and help strengthen our social cohesion.”
“In welcoming 187 new citizens, we recognise modern Australia has been shaped by migration, with nearly half of all Australians either born overseas or who have a parent who was born overseas.”
“Congratulations to all our new Australian Citizens in Wyndham.”