Newest citizens welcomed in town hall ceremony

New citizens Raquel Bastos and Maykon Dias, from Brazil. PHOTO: CHRISTINE O'CONNOR
New citizens Raquel Bastos and Maykon Dias, from Brazil. PHOTO: CHRISTINE O'CONNOR
More than 70 people officially became New Zealanders at a citizenship ceremony at the Dunedin Town Hall yesterday.

The new citizens hailed from Asia, South America, Europe, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Pacific Islands and Australia.

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull said the recipients would share the customs and traditions of the countries they had come from, which would create a mutual understanding and respect among the Dunedin community.

‘‘I am doubly pleased with your decision for, as well as choosing to take up New Zealand citizenship, you have also selected our city of Dunedin in which to make your home.''

Among the newly-accepted citizens were Raquel Bastos and Maykon Dias, who moved to New Zealand from Brazil nine years ago.

Ms Bastos, a dentist, said she had always wanted to visit New Zealand because of its nature and ended up staying.

‘‘I just thought it was a beautiful place.''

She met Mr Dias while he was visiting New Zealand and the pair later married.

Jan-Dawid Roodt, from South Africa, said he and his parents, Christina and Jan, were very proud to be New Zealanders and it was pleasing they could now formally contribute to their adopted country.

Other new citizens: Tracey Elizabeth Stewart (American); Susan Elizabeth MacDonald, Brian Arthur Ralph, Robyn Gaye Sperling (Australian); Valerie Thelma Reeves, Dr Gerard Patrick Closs, Catherine Mary Dale (Australian British); Larry Allen Nichvolodov (Australian Canadian); Tatiana Paola Biggemann Meriles (Bolivian German); Christina Ross Benfell, Dr Thomas Stuart Brownlie, Richard Michael Buckby, Jodie Jane Buckby, Bethan Louise Buckby, Robert Butterfield, Kerry Lambert Butterfield, Peter Desmond McCarthy, Elizabeth Irene McCarthy, Benjamin Jacob McCarthy, Rebecca Kate Nicholls, Nicholas Stephen Poole, George Alfred Rigby, Diane June Rigby, Christopher Steven Rigby, Kim Alexandra Rowe, Andrew Roger Ackerman, Bobby Ray Ackerman, Libby-Ann Ruth Ackerman, Dawn Ann Stewart, John Francis Stewart, Iona Grace Stewart, Ralph Peter Anthony Stewart (British); Sze Chuk Lo (British overseas national); Hedviga Radoslavova Stoyanova (Bulgarian); Martin Bugarin Dvoracek (Czech Filipino); Dr Martin Dvoracek, Karolina Dvorackova (Czech); Hendrika Johanna Steel Rene Vincent van Baalen, Francisca Gerarda Wilhelmina Wielens (Dutch); Antooinette Regina McLean (Dutch South African); Florin Bugarin Dvoracek, Ariel Bugarin Dvoracek, Lyra Porras Garzon (Filipino); Mahendra Prasad, Sangita Devi Prasad, Deepak Prasad, Sumeet Prasad, Prashant Prasad, Lalita Devi Reddy (Fijian); Muriel Suzanne Madeleine Smith (French); Manan Sharma (Indian); Enda Patrick Howley (Irish); Yeong Hyeon Lee (Korean); Alvar del Castillo de Aguinaga (Mexican); Jonah Tupu Aoina (Samoan); David Holman, Amanda Leigh Holman, Rosemary Faith Liebenberg (South African).

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