Julia Gillard, Prime Minister and Western Bulldogs number one ticket holder oversaw the Club’s 6th annual Australian Citizenship Ceremony at the Whitten Oval on Friday night.

Resplendent in Bulldog colours, the Prime Minister acted as the Presiding Officer for the event, conducting the official ceremony and delivering the key note address.

More than forty individuals from almost 20 different countries including Somalia, Burma, Sudan, India, Vietnam, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Thailand participated in the ceremony at the spiritual home of the Bulldogs.

Post the ceremony, many of the newly pronounced Australian Citizens headed to Etihad Stadium to watch the Western Bulldogs storm home over Melbourne - 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 which was enthusiastically sang by local Footscray Primary School.

“As the Community Club of the AFL we are actively involved in developing, educating and engaging with our community through dedicated community programs that celebrate diversity and inclusion”, Gaye Hamilton, Western Bulldogs Director said today.

“Through our programs we aim to engage refugees and humanitarian entrants in sport and physical activity to support inclusion, help individuals form relationships and to learn more about Australian culture.

“This year’s ceremony is particularly significant in that it marks the 25th year of the Bulldogs engagement in our community.”

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 since 2005.

The Ceremony complements the Western Bulldogs SpriritWest Services (SWS) federally funded Settlement Grants Program which aims to increase integration, participation and inclusion of refugees and humanitarian entrants that have arrived in Australia.

We are proud to work in partnership with the Federal Government to deliver the Settlement Grants Program.