Brisbane Lions Senior Coach Chris Fagan and Minister for Multicultural Affairs Stirling Hinchliffe joined forces today to launch Multicultural Round at The Gabba on Sunday afternoon, which coincides with Multicultural Queensland Month.
Before the Lions take on the Western Bulldogs for Round 20 of the AFL, the Club will host its third annual citizenship ceremony in Jurgens Street Park, directly opposite The Gabba.
Sathiya Narayanan Ramakrishnan, originally from India, is one of the forty-nine conferees from twenty-four different countries who will become a new Australian. Ramakrishnan joined Fagan and Minister Hinchliffe at today’s press conference.
Following the public ceremony, there will be a food and world celebration held in Jurgens Street Park. All the new citizens will then be welcomed into The Gabba to form a guard of honour as the players run out, then sit back, relax and watch the nation’s great game.
The Lions, along with their community partner, Multicultural Development Australia, are passionate about integrating new people from different cultures and backgrounds into Australian society.
Lions CEO Greg Swann said he hopes the new citizens will feel welcomed by the Club.
“Sport unites people, so what better way to welcome forty-nine new Australians than to host them here at The Gabba to watch our great game,” he said.
“We are all about inclusion here at the Lions and we hope by the end of Sunday’s game we would have endeared some new fans.”
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Stirling Hinchliffe said he is proud to join with the Brisbane Lions at the start of Multicultural Queensland Month in promoting and celebrating Queensland’s diversity.
“The Club is one of the inaugural members of the Multicultural Queensland Ambassador Program and has been kicking goals on and off the field for community cohesion and inclusion,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“I also congratulate the Lions on hosting the Citizenship Ceremony and Multicultural Family Fun Day on Sunday as part of Multicultural Queensland Month. It’s wonderfully Queensland to welcome our newest Australians at a game of footy.”
The public citizenship ceremony commences at 2pm at Jurgens Street Park, with festivities kicking off at 3pm.
The Lions are proud to partner with the Queensland Government, AFL Queensland, Multicultural Development Australia and the Queensland Human Rights Commission for this event.
