Flying Bee at 08:30, 12 August 2021

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[[File:Juan Mann.jpg|thumb|Juan Mann, who started the Free Hugs movement, seen at [[Pitt Street Mall]], Sydney, Australia, 2006]]

The '''Free Hugs Campaign''' is a social movement involving individuals who offer [[hug]]s to strangers in public places.<ref name="smh">Ellen Connolly [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/11/05/1099547388492.html Hugs and smiles, but not everyone embraces the trend] ''Sydney Morning Herald'', December 1, 2004</ref> The hugs are meant to be [[random acts of kindness]]—selfless acts performed just to make others feel better. International Free Hugs Month is celebrated on the first Saturday of July and continues until August first.

The campaign in its present form was started in 2004 by an [[Australia]]n man known only by the pseudonym "Juan Mann".<ref name="Spreading the Love: Juan Mann">WHO Magazine Interview [http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/who-magazine/115/spreading-the-love-juan-mann Spreading the Love: Juan Mann] December 1, 2004</ref> The campaign became famous internationally in 2006 as the result of a [[music video]] on [[YouTube]] by the Australian band [[Sick Puppies]], which has been viewed over 78 million times as of April 16, 2019.

== History ==
The Free Hugs campaign in its present form was started by Juan Mann on June 30, 2004, when he began giving out hugs in the Pitt Street Mall in central [[Sydney]]. In the months prior to this, Mann had been feeling depressed and lonely as a result of numerous personal difficulties. However, a random hug from a stranger made an enormous difference, with Mann stating that "...I went out to a party one night and a completely random person came up to me and gave me a hug. I felt like a king! It was greatest thing that ever happened."

Mann carried the now iconic "FREE HUGS" sign from the outset. However, on his first attempt in his hometown, where he returned to find that he was the only person he knew, as his friends and family had moved away, he had to wait fifteen minutes before an elderly lady came up to him and gave him a hug.<ref>[http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/oprahshow1_ss_20061030 The Gift of Giving Back] ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]''.</ref>

[[File:Freehugs sydney2004.jpg|thumb|upright|A person holding up a "Free Hugs" sign in Sydney, Australia, in 2004]]
Initial distrust of Juan Mann's motives eventually gave way to a gradual increase of people willing to be hugged, with other huggers (male and female) helping distribute them. In October 2005 [[police]] told them they must stop, as Mann had not obtained [[liability insurance|public liability insurance]] worth $25 million for his actions. Mann and his companions used a [[petition]] to attempt to convince authorities that his campaign should be allowed to continue without the insurance. His petition reached 10,000 signatures. He submitted it and was allowed to continue giving free hugs.<ref name="au.lifestyle.yahoo.com">Who Magazine [http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/whomagazine/121/spreading-the-love-shimon-moore Spreading the Love: Shimon Moore (Sick Puppies)] January 30, 2007</ref>

Mann befriended Shimon Moore, then-lead singer for [[Sick Puppies]], shortly after commencing his campaign, and over a two-month period in late 2005 Moore recorded video footage of Mann and his fellow huggers. Moore and his band moved to [[Los Angeles]] in March 2005 and nothing was immediately done with the footage. Meanwhile, Mann continued his campaign throughout 2005 and 2006 by appearing in Pitt Street Mall in Sydney most Thursday afternoons.

In mid-2006 Mann's grandmother died, and in consolation Moore made the music video using the footage he had shot in 2004 to send to Mann as a gift, stating in an interview that, "I sent it to him on a disc as a present and I wrote down 'This is who you are'."<ref name="au.lifestyle.yahoo.com"/> The video was later uploaded onto YouTube, where it has been viewed 74 million times as of October 2013.<ref name="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4">Free Hugs Campaign - Official Page (music by Sick Puppies.net )</ref>

On October 30, 2006, Mann was invited by [[Oprah Winfrey]] to appear on her show ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show|Oprah]]'' after her producer's doctor saw the Free Hugs video on YouTube. Juan Mann made an appearance outside her studio that morning, offering free hugs to the crowd waiting to see the taping of that day's episode. Oprah's camera crews caught several people in the audience hugging Mann as the morning progressed.<ref name="oprah">Oprah.com [http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200610/20061030/slide_20061030_284_101.jhtml Juan Mann on Oprah] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061201025749/http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200610/20061030/slide_20061030_284_101.jhtml |date=December 1, 2006 }}</ref>

On October 23, 2007, Juan Mann announced his residential address online and offered an open invitation to anyone to come over and chat on-camera as part of his 'open-house project'. Mann hosted 80 guests over 36 days. On November 25, 2007, Mann's landlord threatened him with eviction, so he launched an online appeal.<ref>Andrew Ramadge, [http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,22821775-5014108,00.html Free Hugs star a 'security risk'] ''NEWS.com.au''</ref>

On December 25, 2007, Juan Mann published an [[e-book]] as a free download. On November 22, 2008, at [[YouTube Live]] Sick Puppies did a performance of "All the Same" while Juan Mann gave hugs to crowd members. On February 13, 2009 a Free Hug Day took place.

Free hugs signs were also commonly seen at [[Phish]] shows at least as early as 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1957&dat=19960818&id=979KAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hOkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1215,4099799|title=The Daily Gazette - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=September 27, 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Free hug day in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.JPG|thumb|right|Medical students celebrating "Free Hugs Day" in Bolivia in 2013]]
A website that is generally recognized{{cn|date=September 2018}} as the official site of the free hugs campaign, The Official Home of the Free Hugs Campaign,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freehugscampaign.org/|title=Official Home of the Free Hugs Campaign - Inspired by Juan Mann - Home|work=freehugscampaign.org|access-date=10 February 2015}}</ref> was launched in mid-2007. This site enables those involved in the campaign to better organize themselves and coordinate their efforts. Many initiatives resulted from these efforts. For example, on the website's forum (hosted on Dragon Arts),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dragonarts.us/forum |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225183450/http://www.dragonarts.us/forum/ |archive-date=2009-02-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref> those involved in the campaign called for an annual International Free Hugs Day. Mann declared that the day would fall on the first Saturday following June 30 each year; this being the first date that Mann ever offered free hugs in Pitt Street Mall, Sydney in 2004. The first International Free Hugs Day was July 7, 2007, the second on July 5, 2008, and the third was on July 4, 2009. (See above regarding [[Valentine's Day]]).

Mann's Official Blog<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.juanmann.com/|title=Juan Mann - True Home of the Free Hugs Campaign|work=juanmann.com|access-date=10 February 2015}}</ref> remained dormant after his apparent retirement but has been updated at times; it proclaims itself as the "true home" of the Free Hugs Campaign and hosts interviews conducted with individuals holding Free Hugs Campaigns internationally.

In [[Riyadh]], Saudi Arabia, two men were arrested by the [[Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice]] for offering free hugs in a public space. The move was criticized on [[Twitter]]; however, others opposed the campaign altogether.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/11/saudi-police-arrest-two-over-free-hugs-20131121164035187159.html|title=Saudi police arrest two over 'free hugs'|work=aljazeera.com|access-date=10 February 2015}}</ref>
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==Publicity and expansion==
{{prose|date=April 2011}}
[[File:'Free Hugs Vienna' supporting Conchita Wurst's Tolerance Campaign.JPG|thumb|The free-huggers Thyago Ohana (right) and Alejandro Sosa (left) with [[Conchita Wurst]] (middle) as the 'Free Hugs Vienna' group supported the Tolerance Campaign leading to Conchita's [[Eurovision Song Contest 2014]] Victory]]
* In October 2006, a college student, Yu Tzu-wei, began a campaign in [[Taipei]] to "hug everyone in [[Taiwan]]"<ref>[http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=qw1160228521270B235 Free Hugs campaign arrives in Taiwan], ''Independent Online'' (South Africa), October 7, 2006</ref>
* In October 2006, a Free Hugs Campaign began in [[Tel Aviv]], [[Israel]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrg.co.il/online/15/ART1/572/640.html |title=Free Hugs campaign of Tel Aviv |publisher=Nrg.co.il |date=2007-04-23 |access-date=2013-02-18}}</ref>
* In late October 2006, several Free Hugs Campaigns were organized in a number of cities in [[Italy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Cronache/2006/11_Novembre/06/abracci.shtml |title=News on Corriere della Sera |publisher=Corriere.it |access-date=2013-02-18}}</ref>
* On October 27, 2006, students Steve Loftus, Mark Wonnacott and Jeff Jones from [[Illinois]]-based [[McKendree University]] were featured in news media, including [[MLB.com]], for giving free hugs before game five of the [[World Series]] in front of [[Busch Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/photogallery/post_season/year_2006/month_10/day_27/cf1725488.html|title=Major League Baseball: Photo Gallery|work=mlb.com|access-date=10 February 2015}}</ref>
* On November 6, 2006, a group of eleven people led by a 24-year-old man named 'Baigu' (白骨) tried the same campaign in [[Shanghai]], only to be detained for one hour for not having a permit to hold a gathering in a public place.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-11/06/content_725199.htm |title=Huggers end up in police custody |publisher=Chinadaily.com.cn |date=2006-11-06 |access-date=2013-02-18}}</ref>
* On November 10, 2006, A Free Hugs event in [[Boulder, Colorado|Boulder]], [[Colorado]], was covered by local media.<ref>{{cite web|first=Shaun |last=Boyd |url=http://cbs4denver.com/topstories/local_story_314222201.html |title=Free Hugs' Movement Spreads To Boulder |publisher=CBS4 News (Denver, Colorado) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061112172806/http://cbs4denver.com/topstories/local_story_314222201.html |archive-date=November 12, 2006 }}</ref>
* On November 18, 2006, Geneva Online, an online community, organized the first Free Hugs event in [[Geneva]], Switzerland.<ref>[http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/geneve/story/22448721 A little tenderness in a world of roughness...] (in [[French language|French]])</ref>
* On November 22, two Korean boy students organized a Free Hugs Campaign outside the [[Ngee Ann City]] shopping mall along [[Orchard Road]], [[Singapore]]. In a novel bid to spread the festive cheer, they had this campaign for the following consecutive Saturdays.<ref>The Straits Times, "The Sunday Times Lifestyle", L5. December 24, 2006. "Care for a hug?" by Eunice Quek.</ref>
* In late 2006 a Free Hugs Campaign commenced in [[Belgium]] with events on December 22 and December 23 in [[Antwerp]] and on December 30 in [[Ghent]].<ref>[http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?articleid=G18165GPK Gratis knuffels op de Meir] (in [[Dutch language|Dutch]])</ref><ref>[http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF01012007_052 Goedaardig virus verovert de wereld] (in [[Dutch language|Dutch]])</ref>
* In March 2007, as part of an initiative to combat discrimination against people infected with AIDS or HIV, the French Government called on its citizens to embrace strangers who hoist signs in the street offering free hugs.<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21366606-401,00.html Free hugs for France] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314183820/http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21366606-401,00.html |date=March 14, 2007 }}, news.com.au, March 12, 2007</ref>
* On April 14, 2007, Portuguese waitress Sara Viera living in [[Newcastle Upon-Tyne]], [[England]] was reported on both [[BBC News]] and local press<ref>{{cite web|url=http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/chroniclelive/eveningchronicle/tm_headline=youtube-videos-spark-waitress-to-offer-free-hugs%26method=full%26objectid=18904476%26siteid=50081-name_page.html |title=icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk |publisher=icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk |access-date=2013-02-18}}</ref> to be giving Free Hugs in the streets of Newcastle City Centre.
* On December 20, 2008, Indian composer [[A. R. Rahman]] and percussionist [[Sivamani]] created a song titled "Jiya Se Jiya", inspired by the Free Hugs Campaign and promoted it through a video shot in various cities in India.<ref>{{cite news | title= Rahman advocates free hugs for peace | newspaper=[[Daily News and Analysis]]| url= http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_rahman-advocates-free-hugs-for-peace_1214284 |date=15 December 2008| access-date=28 April 2011}}</ref>
* In February 2009, a free hug offer startled downtown Toronto shoppers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/584504 |title=Toronto Star |publisher=Thestar.com |date=2009-02-09 |access-date=2013-02-18}}</ref>
* In July 2009, a [[Jordan]]ian radio station celebrated International Free Hugs Day by creating the first Free Hugs video from an [[Arab]] country.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZqj_6Lx7zk |title=Free Hugs Jordan |publisher=YouTube |date=2009-07-05 |access-date=2013-02-18}}</ref>
* In August 2009, in [[Norway]] Free Hugs were offered by the [[Red Cross Youth]] in the yearly market "Steinkjermartnan".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/nrk_trondelag/1.6721968 |title=Gratis martnasklem - NRK Trøndelag - NRK Nyheter |publisher=Nrk.no |access-date=2013-02-18}}</ref>
* On July 3, 2010, The first "FREE HUGS Campaign for [[AIDS]]" was organized by a group of friends from a non-profit organization called "SHADOW of BODHI", at six different places at Chennai, India.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/yw/2010/07/13/stories/2010071350481400.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107223557/http://www.hindu.com/yw/2010/07/13/stories/2010071350481400.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 7, 2012 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Say it with a hug | date=July 13, 2010}}</ref>
* Since February 10, 2011, a group of young people are organizing several events in [[Portugal]], starting in the North and ending in the South. They already had several presences on Portuguese television and have been congratulated by the father of the campaign, [[Juan Mann]]. The group remains in activity and continues to give hugs around Portugal and soon hopes to spread love in the whole country. They had given hugs in [[Vila Nova de Famalicão]] and [[Braga]] (twice), [[Guimarães]], [[Porto]], [[Aveiro, Portugal|Aveiro]], [[Espinho, Portugal|Espinho]], [[Coimbra]] and [[Lisbon]]. On September 21, with Vincent Marx, Fernando Moinho and Edwin Bustos, they organized the event called "Free Hugs for World Peace".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.facebook.com/freehugsforworldpeace| title=Free Hugs for World Peace | date=September 21, 2011}}</ref> For 2012, they are trying to break the [[Guinness World Record]] for "Most People Hugging Each Other"<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.facebook.com/events/293596427371338/| title=Most People Hugging Each Other | date=June 8, 2012}}</ref> in Vila Nova de Famalicão.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.facebook.com/freehugs.abracosgratis | title=Free Hugs - Abraços Grátis}}</ref>
* In September 2012, Polish traveler, Maksym Skorubski went for a trip "Hugs Around The World in 80 days", during which he gave out free hugs to 6,783 people in 19 countries around the world. His tour was nominated by ''[[National Geographic Traveler]]'' as the best journey of 2012.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.maxhugs.com | title=Hugs Around The World in 80 days}}</ref>
* Since early 2013, a group under the name 'Free Hugs Vienna' organizes several 'free hugs' events in [[Austria]]. They already had several actions organized in Vienna and some of their group members went free-hugging in events abroad as well. The most remarkable of these international events was the group's support in [[Conchita Wurst]]'s [[Eurovision Song Contest 2014]] campaign, in which the group opened their arms to embrace the message of tolerance through 'free hugs'.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://eurovisiontimes.wordpress.com/2014/05/03/austria-free-hugs-in-the-press-centre/ | location=Austria | work=The Eurovision Times | title=Free Hugs in the Press Centre! | date=May 3, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://escaustria.at/page/2 | location=Austria | work=ESC Austria | title=#freehugs for everybody, spread tolerance #eurovisionsongcontest2014 | date=May 3, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://oikotimes.com/2014/05/08/may-08-conchitas-boy-giving-free-hugs/ | location=Austria | work=OIKO Times | title=CONCHITA’S BOY GIVING FREE HUGS | date=May 8, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.juedische-allgemeine.de/article/view/id/26159 | location=Austria | work=Jüdische Allgemeine | title=»Drück mich!« | date=July 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.readersdigest.co.in/story/the-power-of-touch/1/124322.html | location=Austria | work=Reader's Digest | title=The Power of Touch | date=May 15, 2017}}</ref>
* In November 2013 a Free hugs campaign has landed in [[Saudi Arabia]] after Bandr al-Swed, a Saudi young man released a video of him marching in the streets of the capital Riyadh offering free hugs to people of the Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/variety/2013/11/20/-Free-Hugs-campaign-lands-in-Saudi-Arabia-.html | title=‘Free Hugs’ campaign lands in Saudi Arabia}}</ref>
* From 2015 to 2019, in the month of May, members of the “Free Hugs Vienna” team were active during the [[Eurovision Song Contest]] week in [[Vienna]] (2015), [[Stockholm]] (2016), [[Kyiv]] (2017), [[Lisbon]] (2018) and [[Tel-Aviv]] (2019). Aligning with the event's motto “Building Bridges” (2015), "Come Together" (2016), "Celebrate Diversity" (2017), "All Aboard" (2018) and "Dare to Dream" (2019), the “free huggers” connected with members of the international press, fans and other guests in the Eurovision Press Center, Euro Fan Café and in front of the Eurovision arena on the days of the semi finals and final. 2019 is the sixth year in a row that "Free Hugs Vienna" is active in the ESC context in partnership with the Austrian broadcaster, [[ORF (broadcaster)|ORF]]. (see above for more details)<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.salzburg.com/nachrichten/spezial/songcontest-2015-in-wien/sn/artikel/gratis-umarmungen-fuer-song-contest-fans-150855/ | location=Austria | work=Salzburger Nachrichten | title=Gratis-Umarmungen für Song-Contest-Fans | date=May 22, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.heute.at/freizeit/musik/Free-Hugs-Freiwillige-verteilen-herzige-Umarmungen;art31330,1160797 | location=Austria | work=Heute.at | title="Free Hugs" - Freiwillige verteilen herzige Umarmungen | date=May 17, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDvi9Xc76mo | location=Austria | work=Wiwibloggs | title=Free hugs Vienna: Meet Eurovision 2015 hugger Thyago | date=May 21, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi3oZZYPDmY | location=Ireland | work=Eurovision Ireland | title=A Day In the Life Of Eurovision - Thyago Ohana aka 'Mr Free Hugs' at Eurovision | date=May 16, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/ukraine-wins-eurovision-with-political-and-powerful-song-1.2648552 | location=Ireland | work=The Irish Times | title=Ukraine wins Eurovision with political and powerful song | date=May 14, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/entertainment-arts-36278994 | location=England | work=BBC | title=Eurovision 2016 Diary | date=May 14, 2016}}</ref>
* Some protesters carried "free hugs" signs during the [[Ferguson unrest]] in [[Ferguson, Missouri]], in 2014 and at protests following the [[shooting of Keith Lamont Scott]] in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], in 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Grinberg|first1=Emanuella|title=Story behind the hug between cop, boy at Ferguson rally - CNN.com|url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/29/living/ferguson-protest-hug/|access-date=24 September 2016|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=December 1, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Harrington|first1=Rebecca|title=A protester in Charlotte gave out free hugs to police in riot gear — and they were incredibly grateful|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/free-hugs-charlotte-protests-police-2016-9|access-date=24 September 2016|work=[[Business Insider]]|date=September 23, 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Samantha Hess]]
* [[Ken Nwadike Jr.]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commonscatinline}}

* [http://freehugscampaign.org/ Official Home of the Free Hugs Campaign]
* [http://www.juanmann.com/ Juan Mann's Official Blog, Founder of the Free Hugs Campaign]
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822123729/http://www.freehugsguide.org/ |date=August 22, 2008 |title=The Illustrated Guide to Free Hugs }}
* [http://www.juanmann.com/p/illustrated-guide-to-free-hugs.html The Illustrated Guide to Free Hugs], still online for free available via Scribd, visited 31.10.2013
* [http://healthyhabitsetc.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/The-Illustrated-Guide-to-Free-Hugs.pdf The Illustrated Guide to Free Hugs], still online for free available as pdf, visited 08.12.2013
* {{youtube|vr3x_RRJdd4|Original Free Hugs video}}

{{Sick Puppies}}

[[Category:Social movements]]
[[Category:2000s fads and trends]]
[[Category:History of Sydney]]

Free Hugs Campaign - Revision history

Flying Bee at 08:30, 12 August 2021