Thousands of Iceland residents are offering sanctuary to Syrian refugees.
In the midst of the Syrian crisis, Iceland recently announced it was willing to help with the growing humanitarian disaster by providing sanctuary for Syrian refugees. 50, to be exact.
In the country of about 330,000 people, such an offer wasn’t received as particularly heartfelt or overwhelming, especially considering that an estimated 9 million Syrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of civil war in March 2011.
In response to the government’s paltry offer, 10,000 residents of Iceland did something astounding: they stepped up to fill the humanitarian void and offered to host Syrian refugees through a Facebook page called “Syria is calling.”
The incredible initiative was spurred by a plea from a leading Icelandic author, inspiring thousands to offer up their homes and “be the change.”
As shared by The Icelandic Review Online, here are a few examples of the offers that flooded in over a 24-hour period:
“I’m happy to look after children, take them to kindergarten, school and wherever they need. I can cook for people and show them friendship and warmth. I can pay the airfare for one small family. I can contribute with my expertise and assist pregnant women with pre-natal care.
“I have an extra room in a spacious apartment which I am more than happy to share along with my time and overall support.”
“I’m a single mother with a 6-year-old son… We can take a child in need. I’m a teacher and would teach the child to speak, read and write Icelandic and adjust to Icelandic society. We have clothes, a bed, toys and everything a child needs. I would of course pay for the airplane ticket.”
As Agence France-Presse reports, a number of heartfelt offers were shared through the internet, connecting refugees with kind families and individuals in Iceland. Criticism has come from both sides, but those who are offering their homes apparently feel content knowing they are at least participating in positive change.
In response to the activism, Iceland’s government said it would consider raising the quota on Syrian refugees. “I believe there is solidarity on that we should do more to respond to the problem, we just have to find out the best way to do it,” Icelandic Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson said.
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This article (When Iceland Capped Its Syrian Refugees At 50, 10,000 Icelanders Responded By Offering Up Their Homes) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com
The people of Iceland are amazing. They have repeatedly floored me in so many ways over the past few decades. Truly amazing people, culture, and country!
Thank you 🙂
I am a Filipino.. in our history, our government (under Manuel M. Quezon) before the total outbreak of World War II , offered sanctuary to the Jews being victimized by the German’s Nazi policy..
Many countries in Europe and even the United States of America closed their doors.. and I am Happy for the People of Iceland that they have the compassion to offered their homes for the needy.. We Are Humans Saving Humanity…. Who will take care of the children if nobody will give shelter to them? Who will take care of our future, if the all the children are all gone?
<3
All humanitarian crises could wiped out if all can respond like Icelanders.
🙂 <3
In the world today there is so much to be ashamed of as a race of people, then people do something like that. Maybe there is hope for us after all.