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Juan Mann

Juan Mann


Last Updated: 8/22/2009

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Gender: Male
Status: Single
Age: 27
Sign: Pisces

City: Sydney
State: New South Wales
Country: AU
Signup Date: 10/1/2006

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Sunday, September 14, 2008 

Current mood:  pleased
Dear Friends,

In this world of corporatation, money, greed, conflict and a plethora of other negatives. I just want to send a heart felt thank-you to each and every one of you who have believed in and helped to keep alive, the magic of the Free Hugs Campaign. Today a feature article in the Sydney Morning Herald listed "Free Hugs" as the 13 Top Brand in a list of the Top 20 Brands in Australia.

For me, this is a major win for the little people. To me this means the world, because I have always believed that the little people, are the biggest of people. It is truly an inspiration in this day in age to see a simple social campaign that revolves around nothing more than selflessly giving a stranger some hope in the form of a Free Hug, can place within some of the top brands nationally in Australia, and even come in on top of brands who are the utmost heavyweights in their respective industry, such as Harley Davidson and Sunrise (The King of Breakfast Shows!)

To one and all, thank-you for remembering that together we can change the world.

READ: God, Angels and hugs win hearts of generation Y (Sept 14, 2008)
Caroline Marcus, cmarcus@fairfaxmedia.com.au


Thank-you,

Juan "Free Hugs" Mann
contact@juanmann.net
www.JuanMann.net
3:19 PM 
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Sunday, August 03, 2008 
Rob Schneider is doing something:


I'm doing something:



How will you help Save Miguel?

savemiguel.com
6:19 PM 
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Tuesday, June 03, 2008 

Current mood:  excited
Saturday July 5th 2008 is the 4th INTERNATIONAL FREE HUGS DAY!

Let's take this chance to gather some old friends together, make some FREE HUGS signs and T-Shirts and head out into our towns and cities around the world and offer a FREE HUGS, make some new friends and put a smile on the face of the world around us!

The Free Hugs Campaign continues to spread its simple human message around the world and on 7.5.8 let's all get together and Hug the World.

Four years ago, Juan Mann walked out into the Pitt Street Mall in Sydney, Australia with a FREE HUGS sign with the hope of making someone's day just a little bit brighter by offering them a hug.

Juan will be out in the Pitt Street Mall in Sydney on Saturday July 5th from 12pm for INTERNATIONAL FREE HUGS DAY.

To everyone who's putting together a campaign of their own, I wish you the best of luck, and we all know, you're going to have a fantastic day.

For information on how to start your own Free Hugs Campaign - download the ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO FREE HUGS available HERE absolutely FREE

Alone, we can't change the world, but together, we can make a difference, one stranger, one smile and one hug at a time.

Hugs, Juan
10:18 PM 
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Sunday, March 02, 2008 

Category: Parties and Nightlife
I can't believe I'm about to turn 26!

You're all invited to come and celebrate my impending birthday this Friday evening at the Marlborough Hotel in Newtown from 7.30pm.

It will be a fun night with friends, family and a bar full of happy strangers, but there IS a catch!

You have to wear something RED to stand out from the crowd and let everyone know you're there to celebrate my birthday.

See you there,

Hugs, Juan

P.S. - You can have a digital copy of my book - The Illustrated Guide to Free Hugs as a present for my birthday - check it out at www.freehugsguide.org!

www.freehugsguide.org
www.marlboroughhotel.com.au

WHERE: Marlborough Hotel - 145 King Street, Newtown, Sydney, Australia
WHEN: Friday, March 7th, 2008 - from 7.30pm
WEAR: Something RED
5:54 AM 
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Monday, December 24, 2007 

Current mood:  happy


Happy Holidays everyone!

This year has been a pretty amazing year - I've travelled around the world watching the Free Hugs Campaign grow, I've opened my home and invited the world in, with interesting results and now - I've finished my book - The Illustrated Guide to Free Hugs!

The best part about it all?

It's absolutely free for you to download and read!

Click the link above, check it out and let me know what you think!

In giving you the gift of my book this holiday season, I lost the publishing deal I had with a major company. Until I can find a new publisher who supports the Free Hugs Campaign and letting me distribute this book online absolutely free, you'll only find the book at www.freehugsguide.org.

You are absolutely free to pass the book along to anyone you like - email it to family, friends, anyone at all - The artist and I just hope you enjoy the Illustrated Guide to Free Hugs!

Have a great holiday season and take care!

Hugs, Juan

www.freehugsguide.org
www.freehugscampaign.org
10:59 AM 
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Tuesday, November 27, 2007 




Thanks to Remo from REMOGENERALSTORE.COM there are new Free Hugs shirts in stock!

There are two shirts available in a range of colors and sizes - An Illustrated Standing Juan Mann - which can be seen as my Myspace background and a new "Free Hugs" sign shirt.

Between now and Christmas, anyone who picks up a shirt from REMOGENERALSTORE.COM/FREEHUGS will receive any second T-Shirt from the website absolutely free!

25% of every Free Hugs shirt purchased will go to buying me a home that you are more than welcome to visit me in!

I've also set up a PayPal donation system via ChipIn on my Myspace page - everyone who donates will receive a personalised PDF copy of "THE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO FREE HUGS" for Christmas - well before the rest of the world has the opportunity to see the book!

Thank you everyone for your ideas and your support - together, we can make a difference.

Hugs, Juan

freehomecampaign.org
freehugscampaign.org

12:39 AM 
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Thursday, November 22, 2007 
I am in trouble and I need your help.

Ten thousand signatures on a Free Hugs petition is a walk in the park in comparison to the challenge I now face.

I invited the world to visit me at my home at Unit 12/30 Bucknell Street, Newtown, New South Wales, Australia 2042 and to date, I've had just under 80 guests drop by in the past 36 days, and received letters from all over the world.

Happy people sharing a happy moment in time, grateful to share a moment of their kindness with a stranger. You can check out the excitement at JuanMann.TV

Just like my landlord did.

My landlord found out and sent me some mail as well. Inviting guests into my home is considered "a security risk to the building and causing or permitting a nuisance to the neighbours."

Kindness as a nuisance, kindness as crime.

I am facing the threat of eviction.

I won't be allowed to rent another property.

I will be homeless.

Another man with a sign standing on the side of the road looking for a bed for the night.

So what I need, what I'm asking for, is a Free Home.

I have $9.16 and 21 days.

A home free of charge, free of cost: A safe place in the world that all are welcome into.

But who gives away a Free Home?

I need ideas - how can I solve this problem? Who do you know I can ask for help? Who can provide a free home?

I'm happy to hear all the answers, ideas and suggestions that you might have. This may be crazy, but with your help it just might work.

This is how you can make a difference today. Not just to my life, but the many people who have shared their company.

What I need, is a Free Home.

Here I am, hoping for the kindness of strangers.

Keep checking FreeHomeCampaign.Org for updates.

Hugs,
Juan Mann

freehomecampaign.org
freehugscampaign.org
juanmann.tv

email:freehugscampaign@yahoo.com
phone:(+61) 416 730 891
visit: Unit 12/30 Bucknell Street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, 2042

2:31 PM 
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Sunday, November 18, 2007 
Image courtesy of Charlie Brewer @ News.com.au


It's been a busy month since I invited the world to my home. I've launched JuanMann.TV - attended the launch of YouTube.com.au and YouTube.co.nz - scurried off to the Gold Coast to ride roller coasters and interview the amazing Sarah Reeve.

I've had 66 guests drop by, 30 men and 36 women. Some interviews you've seen, others I'm still editing now and even more people still turn down the offer of an interview.

I've met Dave Carter of the Carers Alliance - an inspiring young man working with his family to bring about real change to help improve the lives of carers and the people they care for around the country.

I've met Shaun Wells of Road Train Designs - a young man who saw a gap in a market and set about chasing the dream of creating clothing that he would love to wear.

I've had Andrew Ramadge of news.com.au drop by for an interview and stick around to play some video games.

I've hosted Noel Hidalgo of luckofseven.com for a night and was inspired by his tenacity in chasing his dreams, his open spirit and hopeful outlook as he travels the world learning about human nature.

I've watched Dancing Bojan from usingpixels.com stop by and shuffle his way around my room. Interestingly enough, Bojan was the first person to ever make his own Free Hugs sign and join me in spreading a little good will and cheer around the Sydney streets!

I've received gifts and mail from people in Australia and across the world in the USA.

I've received donations from Michael at pacificsongwriting.com, Sandy Lee Jones of the Circle of Love and Light and more in support of the dream I'm chasing, in sharing bringing to light the inspiring stories of these good people.

I've had hundreds of positive messages from people all over the world offering their support for my open home and a place to stay wherever I may roam when I set myself free from here again.

I've done interviews with all the major media outlets in Australia, my address and invite have been published in the Sydney Morning Herald, on the front page of News.com.au, the opening pages of the Big Issue and the front page of YouTube.com.au.

Almost everyone I meet, everyone who comes to my home, has been amazing.

There have been a couple of exceptions. One lady came to my home to have dinner, to help cook and hang out - halfway through the evening, she calls me sweetheart and pinched my bum!

The other not so great guest was a media producer, who caught a taxi all the way to my house from her television studio and offered me cold hard cash to cancel an interview I'd already booked with their rival television station the next morning.

Some people don't like to come off second best. Others try to buy their way out of trouble. Needless to say, I stuck by my word and held true with the original interview. I don't think you'll ever see me on a certain free to air channel in Sydney again.

There have been comments, negative, cynical and scared. Hoping someone will come by and murder me, expressing the fear that someone will drop by my house and vandalise it.

And I message these people back and thank them for pointing out the obvious. That we live in a world of fear. Fear of an individual, whoever it may be, that will cause us harm, that will destroy a part of our lives.

And these people reply. They don't wish me harm, they don't hope I fail or suffer. They express something that I struggled with in the days leading up to posting my address online.

That someone, somewhere is going to take advantage, is going to cause me trouble.

So Far, So Good.

It's been one month, exhausting, exciting and only the beginning.

And you know the most surprising thing so far?

Nothing has gone wrong.

30 days into my 366 days of an open home and all is well. Thank you everyone who's dropped in, who's sent me a message encouraging me to keep going, who's mailed me.

Who knows what the next month might hold?

My apartment block is going up for auction in the next few weeks and I'll soon have a new landlord to contend with.

My ten year high school reunion is in just a couple of weeks and I haven't seen those guys in years.

Stay tuned and thanks for your support.

Drop by some time, I live here.

Hugs, Juan

---
juanmann.tv
freehugscampaign.org


3:26 PM 
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Monday, October 22, 2007 



Noel Emails within hours of the video inviting people to my home is uploaded to youtube.

He asks if he can drop by (permission he's already been granted) and if he can do an interview with me for his documentary and world journey.

He visits me on Thursday in the Pitt Street Mall and offers Free Hugs - the smile on his face is amazing - when he's not being ignored, avoided and glared at by people passing him by. Something I'm all too used to, something I don't think he expects to see.

Friday afternoon, Noel drops by my home - unpacks his bags and we have a chat - compare our stories of adventure and the things we hope to achieve, to discover on our separate, but similar journeys.

Noel is going out into the world, looking for inspirational people with stories to tell, learning lessons and discovering human kindness across cultures, countries and borders.
I'm sitting in my home, on my lounge, inviting the world to talk, to have someone listen to their stories, to share their lessons and experience a moment of kindness.

Same journey - Noel is travelling, I'm staying still.

Saturday morning we do our interview together - for his documentary and for juanmann.tv - there are some amusing moments and it's minutes before he has to leave, to start packing for his flight back to hawaii, back to Ohio for his brother's graduation when we have to stop.

Noel doesn't bring me a gift, doesn't provide food, beverage, a movie or a game - Noel shares his advice on how to take advantage of social networking sites. He gives me knowledge.

Thank you Noel for stopping by and good luck on your journey!

Keep an eye on luckofseven.com for more of Noel's adventures.

Welcome to my home, come freely, go safely and leave something of the happiness you bring.

Hugs, Juan

---

www.juanmann.tv
www.freehugscampaign.org



3:01 PM 
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Monday, October 15, 2007 
Thank you everyone who emailed me images for the Illustrated Guide to Free Hugs - I've finished writing the book and it's now in the artist's hands. Over the next few weeks she will finish illustrating the book and hopefully soon you'll all be able to see it!

Now that I've finished writing I've got some more free time to travel and meet people - soon I'll be on my way around Australia and hopefully after that, the world!

In the mean time, I've posted a new YouTube video - This is an open invite for anybody and everybody to drop by my home in Sydney whenever they feel like it!

Bring some drinks or something to eat, a movie to watch, a video game to play, bring yourself or bring a friend!

We'll have a chat, I'll interview you and post the video on youtube.

Thank you everybody for all your support in making the Free Hugs Campaign a truly international movement.

"Welcome to my home. Come freely, go safely and leave something of the happiness you bring."

Hugs, Juan

www.freehugscampaign.org
myspace.com/freehugscampaign
youtube.com/juanmann


5:15 PM 
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