Above: Dr Sangeetha Rengasamy Selvaraj, with Jaiganesh Ragadurai and baby Athiran Jaiganesh and Mayor West
MidCoast Council welcomed more than 20 new citizens yesterday, Thursday 24 June at a special Citizenship Ceremony to mark Refugee Week.
The conferees from ten countries including the Bhutan, China, France, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Serbia, United Kingdom and the United States of America will become Australian citizens as part of a ceremony at 10.30am at the Yalawanyi Ganya building in Taree.
"Modern Australia has been shaped by migration. Nearly half of all Australians were either born overseas or have a parent who was born overseas," said Mayor West.
"Humanitarian resettlement has played an important part of this story, with more than 920,000 refugees and others in humanitarian need resettled in Australia since the end of World War Two."
"In welcoming these new citizens, and celebrating their full and formal membership of the Australian community, we are also taking this opportunity to showcase and celebrate Australia's contribution to global humanitarian resettlement efforts."
Mayor West encouraged people to share their Refugee Week celebrations or stories by sharing pictures on social media using #Refugeeweek.
Refugees contribute to Australia in many ways; by enhancing the prosperity of their community through local business and social enterprise; sharing their culture; and bringing new ideas. You can read some of their stories here: www.homeaffairs.gov.au/refugeeweek.
Below: Wardah Shoaib, pictured with new citizens Muhammed and Hashir Shoaib and Mayor West
