Bulldogs President, David Smorgon, spoke passionately at the Club’s 7th annual Australian Citizenship Ceremony at the Whitten Oval on the weekend, at which more than 60 individuals became new Australian Citizens.
Delivering the key note address, Mr Smorgon welcomed our newest Australians to the Bulldog fold and also reflected on his own family experience of arriving in Australia as new migrants
“I welcome you on behalf of everyone at the Western Bulldogs Football Club - this is our home. And now Australia, from today, officially becomes your home and it must be a very, very special day for each and every one of you and your families - that today you become an Aussie,” Mr Smorgon said.
“Your story is very similar to my story. I am a son of an immigrant family that left Russia in 1927. Fortunately, for my grandparents and my father it was a very bold but brave decision to leave the country that they were born in.
“The same as all of you that have made the decision to leave your country - whether it be Burma, Ethiopia, Sudan, Turkey, Pakistan...whatever country you come from, we appreciate and understand that you have made a decision to leave your country and your birthplace to come to Australia, which is a beautiful wonderful country.
“Our hope for all of you is that you have a long life of freedom, of democracy, of creating opportunity for your children and grand children, and I am so pleased to see here this morning so many young people who look forward to an exciting future and career in this wonderful land of Australia.
"On behalf of the Western Bulldogs I want to wish every one of you great success in your new country.
“Our Club for many, many years has always been involved with the community, with the disadvantaged, the young, the old - whatever nationality they are - they are part of our community,” Mr Smorgon said.
Post the ceremony, many of the newly pronounced Australian Citizens headed to Etihad Stadium to watch the Western Bulldogs take on the Brisbane Lions - for many it was an exciting first introduction to our great game.
After receiving their citizenship, conferees draped in the red white and blue - proudly sang their new national anthem followed by the Western Bulldogs club theme song.
The Western Bulldogs have been hosting our annual Citizenship Ceremony in celebration of Refugee Week since 2005 to highlight the contribution of refugees in Melbourne’s West.
The Western Bulldogs are proud to have led the way in hosting Citizenship Ceremonies, a practice now replicated across the League.
40,000 multicultural groups and individuals have been reached through the Western Bulldogs community engagement programs since 2005.
The Ceremony complements the Western Bulldogs SpiritWest Services (SWS) federally funded Settlement Grants Program which aims to increase integration, participation and inclusion of refugees and migrants that have arrived in Australia.
We are proud to work in partnership with the Federal Government to deliver the Settlement Grants Program.
