Students join Free Hugs Campaign to cheer things up
VANCOUVER (CUP) -- What started with one man, a black marker, a gigantic heart, and a piece of cardboard in Sydney, Australia, has become a worldwide phenomenon, sending a message of love and peace around the globe.
Under the pen name, “Juan Mann,” a man started a Free Hugs Campaign over two years ago, after coming back home to Australia and finding the place “miserable.” He took a sign with the words “Free Hugs” drawn on in black marker, and walked around the busiest pedestrian intersection in Sydney, with the simple goal of brightening someone's day.
According to Mann's official Free Hugs Campaign homepage, “Sometimes a hug is all what we need . . .to see someone who was once frowning, smile even for a moment, is worth it every time.”
The movement started gaining recognition and fame when up-and-coming band, Sickpuppies, used video footage from Juan Mann's campaign for a music video to their song “All the Same” and posted it on the YouTube website. Since its posting in September 2006, the video has been viewed by over seven million people, and has inspired thousands around the globe to start their own campaigns, including students at the University of British Columbia.
On the afternoon of December 3, a small group of students made their way downtown to take part in their own Free Hugs operation in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery. They gave away hugs to any passersby who wanted them. The students said they were overwhelmed by the positive reaction they received, including drivers of cars and buses stopping traffic to get out and receive their free hugs, as well as an appearance on CTV news the same evening.
When asked about their inspiration and reasons for taking part, the students' answers were simple.
“The feeling you get when you see someone smiling as they walk away after hugging you is amazing. It's something so easy, yet so effective,” said Matthew Corker, who organized the event with Laura Mehes.
“At UBC they're always teaching us skills to go out into the world and make it a better place. This is finally putting some context into the buzz words that are thrown around,” he added.
Corker got the inspiration for the campaign after seeing the video on YouTube. Peter Herring, a first-year student, was also inspired by Mann's video and made his way around UBC sporting his Free Hugs sign a few weeks before hearing about any organized movement on campus. After hearing about the plans for downtown, he quickly jumped on board, and was thrilled by the reception the group received.
“It was amazing how receptive and open people were,” he said.
According to Herring, not everybody was willing to open their arms and embrace a stranger, though the mere idea of it brought a smile to almost everybody's face.
“Even if we just made people smile, that's a mission accomplished. It's as simple as that.”
However, Brian Elliott, a professor emeritus of sociology, points out that it is not always fun and games when it comes to hugging.
“I think one has to be a tad careful about that. You are making assumptions that are going to be universally world received,” he said.
He added that while westernized cultures embrace this type of behaviour, not all cultures do. “It's culturally rather specific.
“You have a very diverse campus here. I can imagine some of the students I know that might be a little discomforted if some unknown character [gave] them a hug,” Elliott said. “On the other hand there are lots of other people would say, ‘that kind of display is quite delightful and it made my day.'”
Under the pen name, “Juan Mann,” a man started a Free Hugs Campaign over two years ago, after coming back home to Australia and finding the place “miserable.” He took a sign with the words “Free Hugs” drawn on in black marker, and walked around the busiest pedestrian intersection in Sydney, with the simple goal of brightening someone's day.
According to Mann's official Free Hugs Campaign homepage, “Sometimes a hug is all what we need . . .to see someone who was once frowning, smile even for a moment, is worth it every time.”
The movement started gaining recognition and fame when up-and-coming band, Sickpuppies, used video footage from Juan Mann's campaign for a music video to their song “All the Same” and posted it on the YouTube website. Since its posting in September 2006, the video has been viewed by over seven million people, and has inspired thousands around the globe to start their own campaigns, including students at the University of British Columbia.
On the afternoon of December 3, a small group of students made their way downtown to take part in their own Free Hugs operation in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery. They gave away hugs to any passersby who wanted them. The students said they were overwhelmed by the positive reaction they received, including drivers of cars and buses stopping traffic to get out and receive their free hugs, as well as an appearance on CTV news the same evening.
When asked about their inspiration and reasons for taking part, the students' answers were simple.
“The feeling you get when you see someone smiling as they walk away after hugging you is amazing. It's something so easy, yet so effective,” said Matthew Corker, who organized the event with Laura Mehes.
“At UBC they're always teaching us skills to go out into the world and make it a better place. This is finally putting some context into the buzz words that are thrown around,” he added.
Corker got the inspiration for the campaign after seeing the video on YouTube. Peter Herring, a first-year student, was also inspired by Mann's video and made his way around UBC sporting his Free Hugs sign a few weeks before hearing about any organized movement on campus. After hearing about the plans for downtown, he quickly jumped on board, and was thrilled by the reception the group received.
“It was amazing how receptive and open people were,” he said.
According to Herring, not everybody was willing to open their arms and embrace a stranger, though the mere idea of it brought a smile to almost everybody's face.
“Even if we just made people smile, that's a mission accomplished. It's as simple as that.”
However, Brian Elliott, a professor emeritus of sociology, points out that it is not always fun and games when it comes to hugging.
“I think one has to be a tad careful about that. You are making assumptions that are going to be universally world received,” he said.
He added that while westernized cultures embrace this type of behaviour, not all cultures do. “It's culturally rather specific.
“You have a very diverse campus here. I can imagine some of the students I know that might be a little discomforted if some unknown character [gave] them a hug,” Elliott said. “On the other hand there are lots of other people would say, ‘that kind of display is quite delightful and it made my day.'”
