ECRE and 100 partners launch campaign ‘Europe Act Now – Help Syria’s Refugees’

07March 2014

On 6 March 2014, ECRE, together with over 100 partners in 34 countries, launched ‘Europe Act Now’ (www.helpsyriasrefugees.eu), calling on European leaders to protect refugees fleeing the Syrian war.

To date, just 81,000 Syrians have sought protection in the EU, Norway and Switzerland; representing only 3% of the total number of people who have fled. With a death toll of 130,000 and refugee numbers expected to escalate to 4 million by the end of 2014, this war marks one of the greatest humanitarian crises of our time.

At www.helpsyriasrefugees.eu people can ‘give their voice’ to Syria’s refugees and urge Europe’s leaders to take action to:

1. Give refugees a safe way into Europe
2. Stop pushbacks and protect refugees arriving at Europe’s borders
3. Reunite families torn apart by the crisis

The website allows supporters of the campaign to donate their Twitter feed to the refugees of the Syrian crisis as well as share information about the campaign through their Facebook account. Refugees can share their experiences of fleeing the conflict and attempting to seek protection in Europe with the supporters’ followers and friends. People can also give their voice to protect Syria’s refugees by signing the Europe Act Now petition.

The campaign has already received support from Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament and Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. On its first day, over 1,200 people and organisations have given their voice to Syria’s refugees.

Europe Act Now – Help Syria’s Refugees will run for a period of four months, culminating on World Refugee Day, 20 June 2014.

This article originally appeared in the ECRE Weekly Bulletin of 07 March 2014
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