Council hosts city’s biggest citizenship event

Published: 24 August 2021. (Note: information was correct at date of publication but may have since been changed or superseded.)

Cairns has welcomed hundreds of new Aussies as part of the largest citizenship event ever hosted by the city.

Staged over two ceremonies at the Cairns Performing Arts Centre this morning, 340 people from 39 different nationalities took the pledge to become Australian citizens.

Deputy Mayor Terry James, who presided over this morning’s official ceremony, said it was wonderful to see so many people wanting to call Australia home.

“We would usually have about 60 to 70 people at a citizenship ceremony, so it was quite a sight to behold to have more than 300 people step forward today to take the pledge,” Cr James said.

“Today we welcomed new citizens from five continents – North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Europe – who have demonstrated their desire to embrace our way of life.

“As a community we will be enriched by these people as they share their customs, traditions and cultures with us.”

Council will also host a special event at Munro Martin Parklands on 18 September for more than 600 people whose citizenship ceremonies were impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.