Ulog No. 59: "Australian Citizenship"

I received a letter in the mail from the Department of Home Affairs informing me of my Australian Citizenship grant. My Australian citizenship, however, will only be finalised or become official once I take my pledge or oath in a ceremony. I was also informed that an officer from the local council will contact me in regards to the schedule of the ceremony.

I finally received that email from the City Council this month of December. The Council is proposing to conduct an Australian Citizenship Ceremony on 26th January 2019 as part of its Australia Day celebrations.

I initially thought that I would rather undertake my oath taking ceremony privately. But then I thought this ceremony would be a once-in-a-lifetime event of my life. I also want to be part of the history. On that day, 26th of January 2019, it will be 70 years since Australian citizenship was introduced into law, which, for the first time, created a legal status of being an Australian, that was 26th January 1949. It was, indeed, a remarkable special event for Australia and all the people that were already here and had immigrated from other parts of the world to this blessed country.

On the 3rd February 1949, the first Australian citizenship ceremony was undertaken by several citizens who swore their allegiance to Australia. They came from different backgrounds and heritage but were united by their pledge and commitment to Australian values, which are:

equality of opportunity,
freedom of speech and religion,
mutual respect and tolerance, and
commitment to democracy and Australian law.

Without a doubt, Australia is one of the most successful multicultural nations in the whole world. Now, there are more than five million new Australian citizens. I will become one of them.