Independence Day should be a time for reflection

I reside in Australia and have been trying to campaign to change the way that Australia observes its national day. Instead of it just being a celebration of Australia, I’m proposing that the morning be set aside for reflection and discussion of the mistakes that Australia has made over the years, and the afternoon a celebration of the positive things that Australia has done as a country.

I believe that this could be a model for how all countries observe their national days. All countries have made mistakes as well as had successes. This would be a more nuanced way of observing the national day and would be a form of insurance against repeating past mistakes. With Cyprus just about to celebrate Independence Day, I invite the Cypriot people to consider this idea for how this day is observed.

Adrian Dow, Sydney, Australia