To conclude Refugee Week activities, Whitten Oval played host to more than just football last week when thirty nine conferees from countries including Somalia, Burma, Sedan, India, Bosnia, Uganda, Iraq, Ethiopia, Myamar and Thailand became Australians at a special citizenship ceremony held on Friday 2 July.

Following the ceremony, Australia’s newest citizens headed to the MCG to watch the Bulldogs match against Hawthorn, some witnessing an AFL match for the very first time.

The Citizenship Ceremony forms part of the Western Bulldogs SpriritWest Services (SWS) Settlement Grants Program (SGP).  The SGP is funded by the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC) and aims to increase integration, participation and inclusion of refugees and humanitarian entrants that have arrived in Australia in the past 5 years. 

The Settlement Grants program aims to engage refugees and humanitarian entrants in sport and physical activities that will enable them to form relationships, learn more about Australian culture and feel more accepted in the mainstream.  The project aims to assist with the integration of clients through employment and volunteering, sports and school based activities, and advocacy to mainstream agencies.

As part of the ceremony, Hobsons Bay Young Citizen of the Year, Rick Mwamba spoke about his experience as a new arrival.  Rick and his family arrived in Australia 3 years ago after leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo due to political unrest.  Now studying Year 12 at Altona North Paisley College, Rich (who speaks English as his 5th language) congratulated the newest citizens and encouraged them to “embrace this county we now all share”.

The theme for Refugee Week 2010 was ‘Freedom from Fear’; Rick’s experience and speech was a great example of this.