Having been a proud member of the Australian multicultural landscape ever since I set foot on this land 57 years ago, there is one thing that has always struck me. And that is my high regard for fellow Australians. By and large, I have found Australians to be very friendly, easy to get along with, and a welcoming lot.
One notices this every year when peoples of every colour, creed, ethnicities, nationalities and language groups gather all over Australia to receive their citizenship. It is an immensely proud moment for many who have endured subhuman conditions, segregation, racial prejudice and blatant discrimination in the part of the world they came from.
In this new land of promise, we are happy to join in the chorus of the national anthem, “Australians all let us rejoice…” – a most appropriate song for a young nation. It is also heartening to know that slowly but surely, the First Nations people are finally getting their voices heard.
We are proud to salute the Australian flag; many of us display it in our homes. It is worth asking as to why we value the flag so much? The simple answer is that every human being likes to belong to a group whose members share the same values. The national flag represents to us a symbol of what we strive to be: a united and cohesive land which will fulfil all of our dreams and expectations.