The Western Bulldogs today held their seventh annual Citizenship Ceremony as part of Refugee Week, with 65 refugees from across Melbourne’s West officially becoming Australian Citizens.
Held at Whitten Oval the event is a highlight of the Bulldogs’ community calendar and plays an integral role in the Club’s involvement as a community leader in the western region.
A number of today’s 65 conferees had participated in the Bulldogs’ settlement grants programs – which supports newly arrived people to West make it their home.
Today’s ceremony marks the conferees final step in the journey to become Australian Citizens and full members of the national community.
The majority of the conferees who took the pledge at Whitten Oval originate from Burma, however a broad range of nationalities was represented on the day.
Minister for Immigration & Citizenship, Brendan O’Connor was Presiding Officer during the proceedings, while Bulldogs President Peter Gordon was also in attendance.
The conferees were also invited to attend the round 13 Western Bulldogs’ match against Richmond at Etihad Stadium.
The Bulldogs are proud to be a part of Refugee Week, which aims to celebrate the positive contributions of refugees and raise awareness nationwide.
