Free Hugs campaign coming to YerevanFebruary 8, 2018 - 18:14 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A Free Hugs campaign will be held in the Armenian capital city of Yerevan, with the participants set to offer free hugs to complete strangers. Those wishing to hold signs reading Free Hugs and making people a little more happy will gather at the Freedom square on Saturday, February 10. The campaign in its present form was started in 2004 by an Australian man known only by the pseudonym "Juan Mann", when he began giving out hugs in the Pitt Street Mall in central Sydney. A number of cities worldwide have since hosted such campaigns. In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, two men were arrested by the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice for offering free hugs in a public space. Top stories The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Azerbaijan must respect human rights, Scholz tells Aliyev German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for greater respect for human rights in Azerbaijan. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |