Washington, DC – On Saturday, September 12, Syrian humanitarian organizations and allies have coordinated rallies across the U.S. and world  to urge international governments to help alleviate the Syrian refugees crisis by accepting more refugees and addressing the root of the refugee crisis- lack of civilian protection in Syria.

Hundreds of participants are expected to stand in solidarity with Syrian refugees who are facing desperate conditions, and call for the international community to take action to support refugees in need. Here is a list of the current rallies being held:

Washington, DC: Solidarity with Syrian Refugees: Let them in! (September 12 at 12pm)

New York: Solidarity with Syrian Refugees: Let them in! (September 12 at 12pm)

Boston: Solidarity with Syrian Refugees (September 19 at 6pm)

Houston: Solidarity with Syrian Refugees: Let them in! (September 12 at 5:30pm)

London, UK: Solidarity with Refugees (September 12 at 12pm)

Since the conflict in Syria began the U.S. has taken in just 1,434 Syrian refugees. Organizations and individuals will come together in front of the White House to demand Europe open its borders to asylum seekers and for the United States to accept at least 65,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2016.

Refugees who have escaped the brutalities of war in Syria deserve a life of safety and security. Unfortunately, this is not the current reality. In Hungary, refugees are being caged in “holding camps.” In the Czech Republic, authorities are pulling refugees off of trains and numbering them with markers. Thousands have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea desperately trying to reach Europe in the only way they can: through dangerous smuggling networks. The photo of the Syrian child Aylan Kurdi washed up on the beach in Turkey shows us the result of these disastrous policies.

There are more than 4 million refugees that have fled the war in Syria. Lebanon, which has a population of 4 million people, currently has over 1 million Syrian refugees. Turkey also has over 1 million refugees. The UN high commissioner for refugees has called upon industrialized countries, including the U.S., to accept 130,000 refugees in the next two years. The U.S. must live up to its responsibility and create a fast and streamlined process for refugees from Syria to resettle in the United States, as well as prioritize protection for civilians inside of Syria to address the root of the displacement crisis.