COMMENT: Running parallel to the excitement felt by Orange’s Australia Day award announcements was the obvious sense of joy by those who yesterday pledged their allegiance to their new country by becoming Australian citizens.
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As mayor of Orange John Davies so aptly pointed out yesterday’s representation from those choosing to make their home in Australia, and in particular Orange, have come from across the globe.
It doesn’t seem all that long ago that the majority of those choosing to become Australian citizens came from the ‘mother’ country or parts of Europe.
Yesterday’s list of new citizens reflects the growing cultural diversity of our city.
Our newest citizens have come from Nepal, USSR, China, India, the Philippines, the United States and the United Kingdom and there was a wonderful atmosphere in the park as each person stepped forward, said their name and then took their pledge. That was met with a rousing cheer from the entire crowd on each occasion.
Those who have arrived from other lands and are still finding their way in our community in the lead up to applying to become Australian citizens proudly paraded before the crowd in their native costumes further enhancing the cultural diversity of Orange’s Australia Day celebrations.
One of our newest citizens told the Central Western Daily the respect shown to him and to others when he first came here was something he will treasure and is something of which our city should be proud.
Congratulations to all those involved in yesterday’s Australia Day celebrations which brought together so many people from diverse backgrounds to share in this special day.
