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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Megan Doherty

Two-year-old steals the show at Australia Day citizenship ceremony with the Prime Minister

Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese with Dina Tadros and Mina Seedhom and their children, Jonathan, 10 and Jayden, two, at Thursday's Australia Day citizenship ceremony. Picture by Elesa Kurtz

The beautiful thing about the citizenship ceremonies in Canberra on Australia Day is that they are all about ordinary people, everyday families, celebrating becoming Australian citizens, with the added bonus of having the prime minister of the day by their side.

It is a ceremony full of emotion - pride, happiness, relief. But if you're a two-year-old feeling a bit left out, there can also be a few cranky tears.

Casey two-year-old Jayden Seedhom stole the show at the Australia Day citizenship ceremony by Lake Burley Griffin on Thursday when he ran to join his mum Dina Tadros, dad Mina Seehom, and big brother Jonathan, 10, on stage as they became citizens. The trio moved to Australia from Egypt five years ago.

Jayden, however, was born in Australia, at the Canberra Hospital, so was already a citizen. He was meant to stay in the crowd with friends but broke away to run up on the stage, upset he hadn't been included and had a bit of a strop alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The PM wasn't fazed, asking Jayden his name as the official photos were taken.

"The prime minister thought Jayden was upset because he didn't get a certificate but we told him he already had one," Dina said. "We were just catching up to him."

Beautiful family: Dina Tadros and Mina Seedhom with their children, Jonathan, 10, and Jayden, two, of Casey. Dina, Mina and Jonathan became Australian citizens on Thursday. Jayden was born in Canberra and was already a citizen. Picture by Elesa Kurtz

Jayden's parents are both pharmacists. Mum Dina works at the Discount Drug Store in Nichols, dad Mina at the Terry White Chemmart at the Canberra Hospital.

Dina said she also found the ceremony emotional, especially when Mr Albanese said to the new citizens "welcome home". And she did feel this was home, looking forward "to voting, to contributing".

"It's different. I feel different," she said.

And now they have a classic photograph from the day they became an Australian family, one that will likely be brought out at Jayden's 21st.

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