The Australia Day Statements

The Australia Day is the official national holiday in Australia, and is celebrated on January 26. It recalls the landing of the First Fleet in Sydney Harbour, on 26 January 1788.

History

On January 26, 1788 was the day that Captain Arthur Phillip took formal possession of the colony of New South Wales

In 1808 the festival was celebrated as the "First Landing" or "Foundation Day". In 1818, on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary, government employees received a holiday (a tradition that was soon followed by banks and other public offices).

In 1888 all the capitals of the colonies (with the exception of Adelaide) celebrated the festival as "Anniversary Day, and during 1935 all states of Australia as the celebrated" Australia Day "(although it was still known as Anniversary Day in New South Wales).

The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of whites on the continent in 1938 was widely celebrated. Preparations began in 1936 with the creation of a "Celebrations Council.

In that year, the New South Wales was the first state to abandon the traditional holiday weekend to take a single day of celebration as "Anniversary Day" on January 26.

In 1946, the Commonwealth and the governments of the states decided to unify all the various holiday celebrations into one, called "Australia Day is celebrated on January 26th, even though the day off but was fixed for Monday next following the feast.

Since 1994, all Australian states have adopted on January 26 the same as a day of vacation.

Celebrations

The Australia Day is marked by celebrations throughout the country. On this occasion are very prestigious national awards such as the Order of Australia and Australian of the Year "for outstanding merits achieved.

There are also ceremonies for citizenship, such as Australia Day Achievement Medallion, an award reserved for civil authorities who have distinguished themselves in some way.

In many cities you can admire the Australian Air Force air show. Very popular are the shows of fireworks, the most famous of which is the Lottery Skyworks in Perth.

Usually, also, the Prime Minister writes a speech to the nation.


Celebrations alternatives

Most of the Australian Aborigines call Australia Day 'Invasion Day', in reference to the decimation of their ancestors, the land confiscations and destruction of their culture followed the arrival of the English.

But in recent years, many Aboriginal people have celebrated the holiday as "Survival Day", thanking their ancestors have not been completely wiped out by foreign settlers.

The Australia Day is treated with ambivalence by those who consider the foundation of the first colony so important to the whole state. For example, many residents of Western Australia underline the fact that the British arrived in the west of the continent before 1791, but also some Australians do not see Europe take kindly to the celebration, saying that it is just a commercial holiday .


Source: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Day


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