More than 12,000 Icelanders have offered to open their homes or provide other assistance to Syrian refugees after their government said they would only take in 50 people form the war-torn country.
Icelandic author and folklorist Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir called on her fellow countrymen and women to speak out in favour of those needing asylum in an open letter on the Facebook group Syria is calling, and thousands have have offered their help.
The letter reads:
“Refugees are human resources, experience and skills. Refugees are our future spouses, best friends, our next soul mate, the drummer in our children’s band, our next colleague, Miss Iceland 2022, the carpenter who finally fixes our bathroom, the chef in the cafeteria, the fireman, the hacker and the television host. People who we’ll never be able to say to: “Your life is worth less than mine.”
Thousands have pledged to house refugees, with others offering to donate clothes, money, furniture, children’s toys, and calling on their government to do more to alleviate the suffering of those in the greatest need.
Speaking on Iceland’s RÚV television, Bjorgvinsdottir explained that the Icelandic attitude was being changed by the tragic news reports.
“I think people have had enough of seeing news stories from the Mediterranean and refugee camps of dying people and they want something done now.”
The call to action comes amid a wave of popular demonstrations in Austria and Germany in support of refugees, and a push by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to get other European states to take their fair share.
