August 30, 2011

Thoughts on our national day


Australia Day is now a widely popular celebration of a mature nation. Australians do not need the grand symbols of the old world or the high-flying rhetoric of some new world nations. Our symbols have not been born from defeat and victory, and do not hark back to old fashioned conceptions of nationhood. We have created our own national celebration that reflects our unique story. The lack of old-styled symbols on Australia Day does not represent a lack of national maturity. Quite the opposite. On Australia Day we remember the past with a forward-looking focus.

A central symbol of the day are hundreds of future-focused Citizenship Ceremonies. On Australia Day 2011 we opened our national arms to embrace over 13,000 new citizens and with them we...

...affirmed our loyalty to Australia and its people,
                Whose democratic beliefs we share,
Whose rights and liberties we respect,
and whose laws we uphold and obey.

Australia Day is a powerfully inclusive, cohesive and mature symbol. We do it our own unique way.

Warren Pearson AM