More than 600 citizens to be welcomed to Liverpool week of Australia Day

Anwar Rostom, pictured with his father and children, will receive citizenship on Tuesday 28 January.

From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, more than 600 new citizens will be welcomed by Liverpool City Council into the community at two citizenship ceremonies on 26 and 28 January.

“The two citizenship ceremonies held during the week of Australia Day wilI bring the number of people welcomed as citizens in Liverpool since 26 January last year to 2199,” Liverpool Mayor Waller said.

“Liverpool is rich in cultural diversity and has long been a destination of choice for migrants who wish to live, work or study close to family, friends and people of a similar cultural background.

“Our residents come from more than 150 birthplaces and speak more than 140 languages, which adds to the vibrancy of our city.”

The first ceremony in Liverpool forms part of Council’s annual Australia Day Awards and Citizenship Ceremony on Sunday 26 January, held from 10am-12pm at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, at which 41 people will receive citizenship.

The second ceremony will be one of the largest in NSW and will be held at Whitlam Leisure Centre on Tuesday 28 January, 10.30am–12pm. The 573 people who will receive citizenship were born in 71 different countries. The top three countries of origin are Iraq (179), followed by India (40) and Vietnam (34).

Edmondson Park resident Anwar Rostom, 45, is one of those set to receive citizenship at the larger ceremony. Wanting an escape from conflict in Syria, he, his wife, three children and his parents moved into a relative’s house in Lebanon before the United Nations assisted in relocating them to Australia in November 2014.

“The Liverpool area is very welcoming, full of life and close to shops and transport,” Mr Rostom said.

“My family and I are proud to have made a home here and become citizens of a country that is multicultural and safe.

“I was a lawyer for 15 years in Syria and I’ve been studying English since I arrived in Australia so that one day I can be re-certified and better support my family.

“We look forward to receiving citizenship as it signals that we are no longer refugees, no longer numbers, and we can get back on track with our lives.”

Liverpool resident Ezhilan Vishnukanthan Raj, 43, will also receive citizenship on 28 January. He arrived in Liverpool from Bangalore in India in September 2014. A month later he was joined by his wife, Nisha, and young daughter, Hasini.

“Life was excellent in my home country, but my wife and I wanted a new beginning and a better future for our family,” Mr Raj said.

“When we moved to Australia, we didn’t have any family or friends here, but we now feel at home in Liverpool. It’s a great city in which you have easy access to schools, healthcare, transport and shopping.

“Since arriving we have overcome many challenges, made friends and were blessed with our second child, a son we named Taran, which means ‘Heaven’.

“My family and I are incredibly grateful to receive citizenship during the week of Australia Day – it’s a special time of year and feels like a true achievement after all that we’ve overcome to become part of the Australian community.”

Mayor Waller said she was delighted to welcome new citizens to Liverpool.

“Our diversity is one of our city’s great strengths and Liverpool exemplifies how a community with people from so many different walks of life can live together harmoniously,” Mayor Waller said.

“It is my pleasure to welcome new citizens into our community, bringing with them their own talents, voices and culture. Congratulations to our newest citizens and welcome to Liverpool.”