Sophie Conlon
Fifteen Mount Gambier/ Berrin residents became Australian citizens this week at an intimate ceremony in City Hall.
Formal proceedings saw the group declared citizens by City of Mount Gambier mayor Lynette Martin who officially welcomed them to Australia.
“I am pleased to see our citizenship candidates here today and I would like to congratulate each of you on your decision to become an Australian citizen,” she said.
“A decision welcomed not only by me, but by all Australians.”
Speaking to SA Today, new citizens Mennatallah Kassim Abdelazeem Kassim and Suad Seerwan Bashar Awsee said their families immigrated to Australia because of the freedoms it offered.
Ms Kassim said it was “a dream come true” to become a citizen on the same day as her parents.
“It is something that everyone in the family worked together for and it’s finally achieved,” she said.
She said it relived a lot of stress for her family and would help open doors for their future.
From Egypt and growing up in Saudi Arabia, Ms Kassim said her family came to Australia in 2019 and then moved to Mount Gambier/ Berrin in 2020.
When she first arrived, Ms Kassim said she experienced a big culture shock, and had trouble understanding the Australian accent, but her family had now settled and were fitting into the community.
“When I think about home, that’s what Mount Gambier feels like,” she said.
Together with three siblings, Ms Awsee also became a citizen at the January 24 ceremony.
“It feels amazing that we can celebrate all together,” she said.
Originally from Iraq, Ms Awsee said her family chose Australia so they could be themselves.
“We chose Australia because we believe it’s one of the best places for diversity and we are allowed to be free,” she said.
“We can practice our religion, our beliefs, whatever it is freely, without having to deal with any war or anything.”
She said her family had found the Mount Gambier/ Berrin community welcoming and supportive and they loved the local climate.
“It has been one of the best places ever, we feel very safe and that’s really important to us,” she said.
Living in Australia for four and a half years, Ms Awsee said it was a “privilege” to now be a citizen.
“I’d like to thank every Australian and the Australian government for giving us the Australian citizenship and for allowing us to be free,” she said.
