More than 10,000 Icelanders have opened up their homes to Syrian refugees

Amidst the horror of the refugee crisis sweeping across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, thousands of Icelanders have offered to relocate in order to allow Syrian refugees to stay in their homes.

The outcry was in response to Iceland’s government announcing that it would only accept around 50 refugees.

Taking to social media, around 10,000 Icelanders offered to take Syrian refugees into their homes, even offering to help them assimilate by donating clothes, money, furniture, and toys. Some have even offered to pay for their airfare.

In addition, other European countries are echoing the same sentiment.

From VICE:

A Facebook page was set up by Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir and Dagbjort Hakonardottir. Its description says it is hoping to gather information about what assistance is available, create pressure, and to act as a symbol.


“Refugees are human resources, experience and skills,” the description reads.

“Refugees, the future of our spouses, best girlfriends, the next soul mate, the drummer for the band of our children, [our] next colleague, Miss Iceland in 2022, the carpenter who [finally finishes] the bathroom, the cook in the cafeteria, fireman, hacker, and television host. People we’ll never be able to say in the future: ‘Your life is worth less than my life.'”

Mostly fleeing wartorn parts of Africa and the Middle East, the refugees’ routes have become more widespread as countries try to block them out. According to VICE, last week dozens of Syrians began showing up in Russia’s northeast looking to cross into through the Arctic Circle.

This week, a video emerged showing German townspeople greeting a train full of Syrian refugees, showing that similar sentiments are coming from other European countries:

Featured image via Twitter

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.

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