10,000 Icelanders offer to house Syrian refugees
Move comes following a Facebook campaign launched by famous author after govt announced to house only 50 refugees
PHOTO: UMFI
Ten thousand Icelanders have offered to accommodate Syrian refugees into their homes after the government announced it will only allow 50 refugees from the country.
The move comes as a part of a Facebook campaign launched by famous author Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir. Following the government’s announcement to accept a mere 50 Syrian refugees, Bjorgvinsdottir encouraged fellow citizens to come forward in aid of those in need of asylum.
Within 24 hours, 10,000 Icelanders, the country’s population is only 300,000 only, offered their homes for the refugees on Facebook and urged their government to do more.
Read: War drives four million Syrians to live as refugees: UN
Teacher and single mother Hekla Stefansdottir said in post, "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."
Speaking to the Icelandic public television RUV, Bjorgvinsdottir said that: “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"
Read: Syria regime barrel bombs kill 24, including children: monitor
Iceland is now looking at increasing its refugee quota, Welfare Minister, Eyglo Hardardottir told RUV after examining offers made on Facebook. "I have made it clear that I don't want to name a maximum figure”, she said. “But we (will) explore every avenue available in welcoming more refugees.”
This article originally appeared on Telegraph.
The move comes as a part of a Facebook campaign launched by famous author Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir. Following the government’s announcement to accept a mere 50 Syrian refugees, Bjorgvinsdottir encouraged fellow citizens to come forward in aid of those in need of asylum.
Within 24 hours, 10,000 Icelanders, the country’s population is only 300,000 only, offered their homes for the refugees on Facebook and urged their government to do more.
Read: War drives four million Syrians to live as refugees: UN
Teacher and single mother Hekla Stefansdottir said in post, "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."
Speaking to the Icelandic public television RUV, Bjorgvinsdottir said that: “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"
Read: Syria regime barrel bombs kill 24, including children: monitor
Iceland is now looking at increasing its refugee quota, Welfare Minister, Eyglo Hardardottir told RUV after examining offers made on Facebook. "I have made it clear that I don't want to name a maximum figure”, she said. “But we (will) explore every avenue available in welcoming more refugees.”
This article originally appeared on Telegraph.