When
04:30 PM - 05:15 PM
26 January 2023
Where
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, NSW, 2000
Important Information
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To become an Australian citizen on our national day is a special honour and privilege.
The Lord Mayor’s Citizenship Ceremony will see a select group of new migrants pledge their loyalty to community and country in front of family and friends at the iconic Sydney Opera House on January 26.
The journeys and personal stories of these new Aussies remind us of the values and beliefs that underpin Australia Day and our national identity, including freedom, respect, fairness and equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion.
This event is invite-only and not open to the general public.
What it means to become an Australian Citizen
In the 19 years that Clover Moore has been the Lord Mayor of Sydney, she has made more than 25,000 people Australian citizens in over 300 ceremonies. In this video, she explains what that honour means to her and new Aussies.
[Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore:]
For over sixty six years, citizenship ceremonies across New South Wales have been welcoming new citizens into the Australian family.
In sixteen years I have been Lord Mayor. I have made over 25,000 people Australian citizens, in over three hundred ceremonies. And it is one of my favorite responsibilities because I get to celebrate the incredible diversity while acknowledging the shared values and freedoms that unite us all.
[David Corrochano:]
When Shaye and I met, she was teaching English and I was just showing her around Madrid.
We got along long super well and when she had to come back home to Australia, I knew I had to follow her.
[Shaye Corrochano:]
Yeah and I'm glad he did.
[David Corrochano:]
When I arrived into Australia, I got into surfing straight away.
It's a big passion of mine at the moment. It makes me feel relaxed and close to nature.
I work with international foods, importing and wholesaling products across cafeterias, restaurants and different independent shops. Australia, it's a very multicultural country.
So it is quite exciting to bring products from overseas, from different nationalities and different cultures and sold them to Australia. These days, Shaye and I are married and have a little boy. He's obviously part of the reason of why I wanted to be part of this country, and he was born here in Australia, and why getting my citizenship was so special. I remember the ceremony being such an emotional experience and it really made me feel part of this culture, in this country.
To me, one of the best things about Australia is how diverse it is. You are really far away from everything, but it makes you feel close at the same time because all the people that live here and the different cultures. And that's what I love the most.
[Clover Moore:]
Stories like this show us the incredible contribution migrants make to this country. Their customs, culture and stories add to the richness and diversity of 21st century Australia. I'm proud to welcome our most recent citizens to Australia, and I look forward to the wonderful future we can build together.
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