Dear Resident
One of the things I love most about our City, is the diversity of its people. According to the latest Census, more than 60 per cent of residents speak a language other than English at home and around 45 per cent came to our City from another country. And, part of that diversity is our youth. We have more than 115,000 residents under the age of 24, with enormous talent, dedication and passion.
Another interesting statistic, is the number of local residents who become Australian citizens each year. In 2018, 1,603 people, whose country of birth includes Bangladesh, Vietnam, Lebanon and India, took the pledge and became Australian citizens.
In 2019, at our very first Citizenship Ceremony, on Australia Day, we had 20 people take the pledge. If you’re interested in becoming an Australian citizen, I encourage you to call the Department of Immigration, which coordinates all local council citizenship ceremonies, on 131 880.
As you may know, Harmony Day (21 March), an international celebration of equality, diversity and inclusion, and Neighbour Day (31 March), are significant celebrations, as they unite us by a set of core Australian values. Council continues to support our community groups which work tirelessly, across all cultures, to promote these events and maintain social harmony and inclusion in our City. I encourage you to visit cb.city/whatson to find out what activities are planned for Harmony Day.
I am very proud of our wonderfully diverse community and how we live in harmony, respecting our different cultures. I believe it is what makes Canterbury-Bankstown such a dynamic and vibrant place to live in, work in, visit and enjoy.
Yours sincerely
Clr Khal Asfour
Mayor