AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP DAY

Source : Dæhæna – September 2023

Australian Citizenship Day is celebrated each year on 17 September. Australian Citizenship Day is an opportunity for all Australian citizens, whether by birth or by choice, to reflect on the meaning and importance of their citizenship. The day is used as an opportunity to think about what unites all Australians, to take pride in Australia’s democratic values and to celebrate the role citizens play in shaping the nation.

The Australian Government introduced Australian Citizenship Day in 2001 in response to a recommendation by the Australian Citizenship Council in their 2000 report Australian Citizenship for a New Century. The recommendation came from a proposal of the 1999 National Schools Constitutional Convention that a citizenship day be established to allow all Australians to celebrate their Australian citizenship. The Australian Citizenship Council noted that an annual citizenship day would increase community awareness of Australian citizenship while providing a focal point for citizenship-related activities and celebrations.

The first Australian Citizenship Day was celebrated in 2001, coinciding with the Centenary of Federation.