8 ways Germany is leading the response to the refugee crisis

Let us count the ways:

1. It's accepting the most refugees

The country will have the most refugees and asylum seekers among EU states, up to 800,000 by the end of 2015, which will be more than double that of 2014.

2. It has opened its doors to all Syrians

On 25 August, the country also announced it was suspending the Dublin protocol for Syrians, which requires that refugees seek asylum in the first European country in which they arrive.

In effect, Germany has opened its doors to any Syrian refugees that wish to claim asylum there.

3. German football clubs are leading by example

Borussia Dortmund invited 220 refugees to a Europa League match to welcome them to the club, and Bayern Munich have also announced integration plans, as well as a donation of €1 million to existing efforts.

4. It's encouraging other countries to pick up the slack amid the refugee crisis

A joint statement from the German, Italian and French foreign ministers read:

The current refugee crisis is putting the European Union and all of its member states to a historic test. Over the past weeks, this crisis has become even more dramatic.

Europe must protect refugees in need of protection in a humane way – regardless of which EU country they arrive in.

5. It's encouraging integration among refugees

The cost of this could range from from €1.8 billion to €3.3 billion in 2016

From the country's federal ministry of the interior:

If the asylum application is accepted, persons granted asylum status and those granted refugee status receive a temporary residence permit and are given the same status as Germans within the social insurance system.

They are entitled to social welfare, child benefits, child-raising benefits, integration allowances and language courses as well as other forms of integration assistance.

6. Germany is the seventh greatest contributor to the UN refugee programme

The country donated on average nearly $75 million a year to the UNHCR. The EU is also the third largest contributor.

7. There's an initiative to match refugees to shared flats

Refugees Welcome is an organisation that allows German citizens to arrange a flatmate through a refugee organisation.

8. The police had to ask the public to stop donating, the support was so overwhelming

Police in Munich were inundated with food, clothes and toys in an overwhelming show of support at the city's main train station for around 590 refugees.

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