On April 26, a Free Hugs flash mob took place in central Irkutsk, unexpectedly gathering many smiles, hugs, and photos. Organizers were amazed by the response.
You never know where a fateful “well, let’s!..” might lead. But on this April Sunday, it turned out that sometimes it leads to something very good and kind. But let’s take it from the beginning.“Let’s Hug” or “Free Hugs” - this event or flash mob (call it what you like), which has become popular all over the world, took place on Sunday, April 26, in the center of Irkutsk. People with signs that say “Let’s Hug” or “Free Hugs” walk around the city, and anyone who wants to can come up and simply hug them.
We (the organizers) advertised it as best we could, but were prepared for anything, and how surprised we were when, on the way to the venue, calls began coming in with exclamations: “Well, where are you, we’ve been waiting for ages?!”. When we arrived at the site, we saw people with posters who, having spotted us from far away, were smiling and waving, jumping and hugging, laughing and taking photos… More and more people kept arriving, and everyone was so positively and emotionally charged that it seemed the shared feeling of happiness and euphoria would know no bounds!
Adults, serious-looking people passing by, stopped and started hugging, taking photos; I’m not even talking about children. The children hugged everyone with joy — probably just for their smiles alone it was worth organizing all this!