'Open the Gates': Iceland Gives Syrian Refugees Warm Welcome

Those are the words from Icelandic author Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir, who set up a Facebook event a year ago and wrote a letter to Iceland's welfare minister, Eyglo Haroardottir. She told the minister that she knew someone who could house five Syrians and requested work permits, residence papers in exchange for paying for their flight and helping them integrate into society.

"People of whom we'll never be able to say in the future: 'Your life is worth less than my life,' " she wrote.

More than 11,000 families have since offered to open their homes to Syrian refugees — dwarfing the government's cap of 50 asylum seekers a year and responding to Bjorgvinsdottir request for Iceland to "open the gates."

Iceland's open arms approach to Syrian refugees in in stark contrast with many other countries in and around Europe.

Denmark, having followed Sweden's example an tightened up the countries rules on accepting and settling asylum seekers has seen a dramatic fall in the number of migrants reaching the Scandinavian countries. 

Germany, with its "open-door policy" and open border rhetoric, purported by Chancellor Angela Merkel, lead all of Europe to  taking in asylum seekers. More than 73,000 people claimed asylum in Germany between January and March in 2016 so far, which compares with just 7,300 in the UK.

"Fortress Europe" is fast becoming a reality as France and Austria tighten their border with Italy. Switzerland has alsoresponded by increasing controls on their borders. The Western Balkan route remains closed and the deal between Turkey and Greece has exacerbated the number of journeys from North Africa to Italy and Sicily. More than 150,000 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year.

​In response to calls to "open the gates," Iceland's Prime Minister has formed a new committee to reassess the number of asylum seekers Iceland will accept.