Last Friday, was a momentous day for Canterbury-Bankstown as we welcomed more than 2,400 new citizens at the Dunc Gray Velodrome. Indeed, the greatest citizenship ceremony ever held in our City and the largest ever held in Australia.

I feel immensely proud to be hosting this historic event and to help over 2,400 new citizens, from over 80 different countries and all walks of life… take the pledge and call Canterbury-Bankstown their ‘forever home’.

I’m always fascinated by and filled with hope when I hear our new Australians’ stories, such as the father of three, who moved with his wife to Australia from Egypt six years ago.

Dr Ahmed travelled to Sydney on a postgraduate student visa to complete his studies, advance his research knowledge and secure a better future for his young family. Having witnessed conflicts and wars in the middle east, he is grateful to be now living a peaceful life away from a war zone.

Receiving Australian citizenship is such an exciting moment for many Australian migrants. It signifies the end of one journey and the start of a new life as a citizen of a country full of opportunity and prosperity. And, conducting citizenship ceremonies is one of the happiest and most important parts of my role as Mayor.

I value the crucial role our multicultural community play and look forward to the contributions our new citizens will make to further strengthen and enrich the cultural, economic and social life of this great City.

I wish our new members every success for the future and embrace them with open arms so they feel safe and free to fulfil their dreams.

Yours sincerely,

Clr Khal Asfour

MAYOR