Syria
Most read
Latest
-
Iceland’s President Personally Welcomes Syrian Refugees
22 Syrian refugees arrived in Iceland yesterday, and President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson made it a point to invite them to the presidential residence at Bessastaðir and personally welcome them to Iceland. RÚV reports that these refugees will be settled in Reykjavík and…
-
21 Syrian Refugees Arrive In Iceland
Iceland welcomed more Syrian refugees yesterday, and they will be settled in two South Iceland towns. Vísir reports that seven of these refugees, a married couple with five children, will be settled in Hveragerði, and the other 14 will be settled in…
-
Iceland Votes To Increase Aid To Syria
Just in time for the holidays, the Icelandic parliament voted to increase aid to Syria, as people caught in the midst of a bloody civil war struggle to survive. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that parliament voted in favour yesterday of…
-
‘Books 4 Refugees’ Brings Library To The Camps
Just a couple months ago, Kristín Rós Kristjánsdóttir was an actor working at a theatre in London. Today, she’s getting ready to return to a refugee camp in northern Greece, where she will be building a library for people who have fled…
-
Government Agrees To Accept More Refugees
The Icelandic government has just agreed to accept another group of Syrian refugees from Lebanon, who are due to arrive later this year. RÚV reports that while the exact number of refugees to be accepted has not as yet been determined [UPDATE:…
-
UNICEF Benefit Concert In Photos
Iceland’s division of UNICEF launched a campaign called #segjumSTOPP (“Let’s Say Stop”) last week that aims to put pressure on authorities to end the conflict in Syria and protect those in need. To this end, they put on a special gesture at…
-
Icelandic Red Cross Giving 15 Million ISK To Syrian Aid
The Icelandic Red Cross will be taking part in an international effort to help the people of Syria, where living conditions are decidedly appalling for millions of people. According to a statement from the Icelandic Red Cross, it is estimated that 13…
-
UNICEF Urges Peace After Five Years Of Devastating Syrian War
Today marks the five year anniversary of the start of the civil war in Syria, and international NGOs are banding together to put pressure on authorities to end the conflict and protect those in need. To this end, Iceland’s division of UNICEF…
-
Deportation Delayed For The Time Being
The impending deportation of two Syrian asylum seekers has been delayed, although it is still uncertain if or when they will be sent to Bulgaria. “They will not be deported tonight or tomorrow,” lawyer Helga Vala Helgadóttir told MBL last night. “But…
-
Another Deportation Decision Protested At Interior Ministry – VIDEO
About 30 protesters converged on the Ministry of the Interior today to protest another deportation decision made by the Directorate of Immigration. One of the organisers explained their demands for Grapevine. In light of a recent decision from the Directorate of Immigration…
-
Syrian Asylum Seekers To Be Sent To Bulgaria
Two asylum seekers from Syria are to be deported to Bulgaria, despite international condemnation of asylum seeker treatment in Bulgaria. Stundin reports that Ahmad Aldzasem and Wajden S. Rmmo, two Syrians who sought asylum in Iceland, are to be deported this Tuesday…
-
20 More Syrian Refugees On The Way
20 more Syrian refugees will soon be welcomed to Iceland to begin a new life. A great many of them include survivors of torture and other forms of violence. RÚV reports that this next round of refugees will be arriving at some…
-
Syrian Family Granted Asylum
A Syrian family once denied asylum in Iceland has now been granted residency. RÚV reports that Wael Aliyadah and Feryal Aldahsah have been granted asylum by the Directorate of Immigration for humanitarian reasons. They arrived in Iceland last July, fleeing war-torn Syria…
-
Icelandic Children Greet Refugee Classmate With Arabic Song
To greet a new classmate from Syria, a group of Icelandic children learned how to sing in Arabic. The performance was reportedly well received. A video of the song’s performance can be seen below. Vísir reports that at the beginning of the…
-
Iceland Devoting Half A Billion ISK To Syrian Refugees
Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson announced in London last night that Iceland would be putting half a billion ISK towards Syrian refugees. The Prime Minister made the announcement at the Supporting Syria Conference currently being held in London. PM Gunnlaugsson, announces Iceland…
-
Don’t Ask Nanna: About Fat Icelanders
Hey Nanna, I’m not sure what I was expecting, and I probably seem like a dick mentioning it, but I was really shocked at how unhealthy Icelanders were when I visited last weekend. What’s with all the junk food? I expected a lot more…
-
Syrian Refugees Receive Warm Welcome In Iceland
A group of 35 Syrian refugees arrived in Iceland yesterday and were surprised to find it was not as dark or as cold as they were lead to believe, reports RÚV. “They were glad to arrive in the daytime,” said Linda Rós…
-
Syrian Refugees Arrive Tomorrow
The first round of refugees from Syria will arrive in Iceland tomorrow, and preparations for their arrival are complete. MBL reports that these refugees, originally from Syria but until now living in Lebanese refugee camps, will be arriving in Iceland tomorrow afternoon.…
-
Refugee Agreement All But Complete
An agreement between national and local authorities on accepting the first round of Syrian refugees is nearly finished. RÚV reports that the Ministry of Welfare has almost finished negotiations with Akureyri, Kópavogur and Hafnarfjörður on the matter of when and how these…
-
14 People Granted Asylum
14 people from Iraq and Syria were granted asylum yesterday, but one Syrian family facing deportation to Greece was not amongst them. The 14 individuals granted asylum in Iceland include children amongst them, RÚV reports. Kristjana Fenger, a lawyer who has worked…
-
Paris Attack Won’t Affect Iceland’s Plan To Accept Refugees
Interior Minister, Ólöf Nordal, has told RÚV that the attacks in Paris would not be affecting the government’s plan to accept Syrian refugees this year nor would it change the government’s policy on asylum. The question was brought on by the wave…
-
Paint An Open Gate On This Wall
In a single day at the end of August, ten thousand Icelanders, three percent of the country’s minuscule population, signed up to the Facebook event “Dear Eygló Harðar – Syria Calling.” Addressed to Welfare Minister Eygló Harðardóttir, the online event was created…
-
About A Million ISK Going To House Asylum Seeker Families
The Directorate of Immigration (UTL) will put 1 million ISK towards housing for three asylum seeker families coming to Hafnarfjörður, and pay additional costs totaling some 1.5 billion ISK to the town. RÚV reports that these are amongst the terms of an…