Breaking mental barriers and hugging the physically handicapped with love, Eden Social Welfare Foundation initiated the ‘25885 Love Hug’ activity to connect people along the High Speed Railroad on May 25th, centered in Taichung City and forming a concentric circle with love hugs collected along the way to symbolize fulfilling and gathering, witnessed by Mayor Hu, Deputy Magistrate Chang, Chuang-His, Chief Executive Officer Ou, Chin-der of the Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC), and Chief Executive Officer Huang, JuSong of Eden Social Welfare Foundation. Denizens were touched by the warm atmosphere and hugged people around them, shouting ‘25882 Love Hug, No Distance for Love’, to create a harmonious occasion. 

　　Mayor Hu stated that the activity was by good people and in good association, with goodness added, having taken the example of Free Hug in Austria as an investigation revealed that over 4 hugs each day could surpass any health food, and hugging could present feelings better than words could.

　　Deputy Magistrate Chang said that kindness and true honesty and concern for others through active expression could make society more beautiful.

　　Chief Executive Officer Ou of THSRC considered that 25885 linked people through hugging, as the high-speed railway connected north, central, and south regions in a short time, love holding everyone.

　　Executive Officer Huang of Eden Social Welfare Foundation expressed that Eden has founded 65 points in 20 counties and cities in the last 25 years, and it was love’s power that permitted Eden to smoothly move forward. In order to speak out for the handicapped, Eden oriented 25885 Love Hug in the conviction that hugging promoted mental and physical health, presented acceptance and concerns, and replaced the indifference just like peace getting for welfare.

　　Dedication of the high-speed railway helped to shorten the time required for distances traveled all over western Taiwan, facilitated the one-day life circle, while Eden promoted hugging along the high-speed railway simultaneously taking place all over Taiwan, with the gathering in Taichung Wurih Station on May 25th. This event symbolized the close ties between the south and north regions brought about by the high-speed railroad, as well as mental union through hugging. The Activity reflected the removal of mental barriers declared by the Convention on United Nations Disabled Persons in Sept. 2006, and hugging in the high-speed railroad station was done with the expectation that people in rapid flowing lines, without body contacts could break through both their indifference and barriers among them and warm each other’sthoughts.

　　The Program was co-hosted by Mayor Lung-Bin Hau of Taipei City, Magistrate Chou Hsi-wei of Taipei County, Speaker Chuang Chi-wang of Kaohsiung City Council, and deputy mayor Cheng Wen-long of Kaohsiung City simultaneously in south and north Taiwan to offer flags to the 25885 handicapped teams and to sign the 25885 Convention, promising better promotion of ‘removal of mental barriers’ in the hope that the three municipalities would move toward becoming ones without mental blockades, and where the mentally and physically handicapped would be respected and valued. Later, 25885 teams initiated their travels from Banciao Station and Zuoying Station of Taiwan High-speed Railroad to collect ‘love hugging’ stickers in Banciao, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Tainan, Chaiyi along, and each sticker showed a wholehearted hug.

　　Hugging teams met in Taichung where Mayor Hu, Deputy Magistrate Chang, Chuang-His, Chief Executive Officer Ou, Chin-der of the Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC), and Chief Executive Officer Huang, JuSong of Eden Social Welfare Foundation witnessed the concentric circle consisting of hugging stickers collected along their travels to present roundness and melting, the action fruit of all-people involving in 25885 Love Hug.

　　Mayor Hu and Deputy Magistrate Chang co-signed and vowed for the 25885 Convention, declaring their intention to help build the Taichung Metropolitan area into one without barrier discrimination for the disabled. Mayor Hu realized that action through hugging the Handicapped. Ambassador Li, ChingHuei of Eden, showed his concerns over the handicapped friends, and denizens at the site were affected by the warm atmosphere in which to hug people and speak out ‘25882 Love Hug, No Distance for Love’ at the harmonious occasion.

　　The Program lasted more than 5 hours with enthusiastic participation of directors from counties or cities and institutes, as well as nearly 100 handicapped people in stations along the high-speed railway, including developing retarded children who underwent speaking and walking learning, the physically disabled with bakery and wheelchair skills, and the handicapped who held crutches, pushed their walking-assistant devices, sat on the wheelchairs, used guide crutches, or were assisted by parents and teachers to walk into the crowd, eliminating the distance barrier among people, and practicing the essence of 25885.

　　In order to facilitate people hugging easily and conveniently , Eden promoted the 25885 Hugging Exercise, illustrated by the 5 step cartoon to call for people’s easy imitation. Let’s start with ourselves. The 25885 on line encouraged everyone to post hugging photos on the 25885 website （www.25885.com.tw）to spread love to all of the corners of the world. Please contact Eden (（02）2230-6685) .