SHANGHAI, CHINA - NOVEMBER 4: A young woman conducting the 'free-hugs' campaign embraces a stranger at the Nanjing Road, Shanghai's main shopping street on November 4, 2006 in Shanghai, China. Over ten young people launched the unapproved street campaign to embrace passers-by, the event was stopped by the police ten minutes after it started. In recent weeks, small groups of young people appeared on downtown sidewalks in Changsha, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin and other cities, holding signs with the words 'free hugs' and volunteered to embrace any passers-by, aiming at cheering up strangers. They said they were inspired by an international news story of a similar type and intended to promote human contact in the face of growing alienation in urban China, according to state media. Getty Images logo Getty Images 37 months ago

SHANGHAI, CHINA - NOVEMBER 4: A young woman conducting the 'free-hugs' campaign embraces a stranger at the Nanjing Road, Shanghai's main shopping street on November 4, 2006 in Shanghai, China. Over ten young people launched the unapproved street campaign to embrace passers-by, the event was stopped by the police ten minutes after it started. In recent weeks, small groups of young people appeared on downtown sidewalks in Changsha, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin and other cities, holding signs with the words 'free hugs' and volunteered to embrace any passers-by, aiming at cheering up strangers. They said they were inspired by an international news story of a similar type and intended to promote human contact in the face of growing alienation in urban China, according to state media.

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