One Icelander managed to rouse 11,000 fellow citizens to offer help and refuge to Syrian refugees.
When the Icelandic government said it would take in a mere 50 refugees, a prominent author and professor swung into action by launching a Facebook campaign which had an open letter to the country’s welfare minister asking her to allow people to help.
Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir, 33, urged Iceland’s 330,000 citizens to give their thoughts on helping those seeking protection.
Within 24 hours, 10,000 Icelanders said they would welcome Syrian refugees into their homes and look after them.
“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", Bjorgvinsdottir told Icelandic public television RUV.
The Prime Minister has announced the formation of a committee to reassess the number of asylum seekers Iceland will accept.
Last year Iceland took in 1,117 immigrants, according to official statistics.
