Montrealer on a mission to complete one billion encouraging acts across the globe
Posted August 11, 2026 3:30 pm.
Last Updated August 11, 2026 5:08 pm.
What if more people encouraged each other every day?
That’s the question that inspired Montrealer Jean-Philippe Marier to launch his “ACT4LOVE” mission, focused on spreading positivity through acts of encouragement.
His goal: collectively complete one billion acts of encouragement by 2040.
“ACT4LOVE is actually an adventure of encouraging people to encourage others, as simple as that,” Marier told CityNews.
“We have this big vision, but it’s mainly about all the beautiful stories that we will build all together.”
Passionate for psychology and self-development, Marier has been spreading positivity through acts of encouragement every day – regardless of the weather – for over 1,600 days.
He started in February 2022 after seeing the loneliness others were experiencing during the pandemic.
Fast forward to today, he’s done over 52,000 encouraging acts in over 50 countries.
“They are like, ‘whoa, is it even possible?’” Marier said of people’s reactions.
It’s very possible, he explains, when done together. The number of encouraging acts goes up when participating in person.
Someone can also take part in the mission from anywhere by reaching out on social media or using his ACT4LOVE app, where existing virtual encouragement cards can be sent, or new ones can be created from scratch.
“I’m not just offering entertainment or people watching it, I’m offering a way to be part of it,” Marier said.
His journey began with giving “free hugs” to strangers. Now it’s transformed to high-fives and compliment cards that lead to uplifting conversations.
The Montrealer hopes encouraging others becomes a habit. He says he realized it doesn’t simply help the one who receives it, it also transforms the one who gives it.
“Being able to uplift or encourage a lot of people through an adventure that encourages people to participate in it, that’s my path and that’s where I’m going.”
