Australia Day

January 26 is "Australia Day".

It's a unique national holiday - a day set aside to celebrate this country, its history, and everything that is great about being Australian. It is celebrated with citizenship ceremonies, flag raising ceremonies, barbecues and fireworks.

One of my favorite Australia Day celebrations is the naming of "The Australian of the Year" - a person who is seen as a good role model and has contributed to the country in some significant way. Any Australian can nominate someone for the award, providing the nominee meets the criteria established by National Australia Day Council (NADC). It is this council which selects the recipients. Past recipients have been doctors, businessmen, sports personalities, and artists. Just being nominated is a great honour, and the award winners truly are remarkable human beings. I enjoy watching the award being presented - it's always an inspiring moment.

January 26 is the date that the first fleet of convict ships arrived at what would become Sydney in 1788. For this reason, the date chosen for the holiday is somewhat controversial, as Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders (who suffered greatly at the hands of Europeans) view the anniversary very much as Native Americans view the arrival of Columbus: an event to mourn, not celebrate. For them, the date is referred to as "Survival Day" and sometimes "Invasion Day". Aware of the issues, The NADC has a formal "reconciliation plan" developed to ensure that Australia Day is respectful of these communities and inclusive.