Free Hugs

A hug is a simple but profound gesture that can express care, connection, and love. Free hugs is a global movement started by Juan Mann in 2006 through a viral YouTube video, and people around the world have been hugging on the street since. Free hugs can shift deeply held beliefs about the nature of the world and people, it brings joy and physical well-being, it brings more genuine connection in our disconnected, tech filled lives.



Rossi Dimitrova loves hugs and has been a free hugger and photographer for 9 years, both hugging and documenting the Free Hugs movement in Chicago. This book is the result of Rossi's journey of hugging and transformation through thousands of hugs with strangers on the street.



Rossi is also building a local and global community of huggers - people who care about others, who want to share their passions in a sustainable way, who want to connect empathically and authentically with like minded people and collaborate on making the world more caring.