Leisure for a Better World

Leisure has long been recognized as a human right; however, many populations are still excluded from leisure programs, facilities, and services. World Leisure Organization (WLO) is celebrating 70 years of supporting professionals and organizations to make leisure inclusive. In 2020, WLO introduced the third edition of its Charter for Leisure emphasizing responsibility to "ensure that all members of the community, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, ability or income, have access to beneficial leisure facilities and services.”

Introduction: Lisa Mische Lawson, PhD, CTRS, FDRT

The WLO’s Diversity, Access, and Inclusion Special interest Group (DAI SIG) was established to share information and best practices related to diversity, access, and inclusion in leisure. Inclusive leisure requires removal of attitudinal, administrative, architectural, and systemic barriers. The DAI SIG serves as a forum to discuss ideas and provide support as members advance inclusion in leisure with diverse populations around the world. A recent survey showed our members are using their expertise in disability, poverty, indigenous populations, and gender studies to conduct collaborative research, hold leadership positions in WLO, and share knowledge at World Leisure Congress.

Leisure can be a powerful vehicle for social change, so it is imperative all individuals have access to leisure opportunities. The 2025 World Leisure Congress theme, Leisure for a Better Society, exemplifies this. This issue of Uncover Magazine offers a ‘sneak peek’ at the exceptional efforts of WLO toward inclusive leisure by showcasing World Leisure Centers of Excellence (WLCE) in China, Hungary, Brazil, and Canada. For example, in 2021 the WLCE network and partners launched the first World Leisure Day (WL Day). WL Day aims to reinforce leisure as a social right and its importance in daily life, while reflecting on the barriers that still exist for many people around the world. The WLCE examples show the power of leisure for creating a better world.

Inclusive Leisure in Hungary

Dr. Márta Wilhelm, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs (Hungary)

At the Faculty of Sciences University of Pécs (Hungary) in a multidisciplinary, multilingual diverse environment, the Institute of Sport Sciences and Physical Education is strongly motivated in teaching and creating leisure activities for all. It is crucial in Hungary since the expected lifetime at birth is lagging behind the European average. According to statistical data the most important factor determining short lifespans is physical inactivity, the lack of leisure in the young and adult population. Health surveys, clinical data prove the need for good practices, involving the general public in all age groups and in many environmental possibilities.

The city of Pécs is not too big to find active, motivated, cooperating organizations and individuals for different projects. The special natural wonders of the neighborhood give rich background to organize very interactive, joyful teaching and research programs at each level of higher education.

Since UP is very successful even in the ‘Reach out Programs’ (Researcher’s Night), several inspirational summer projects were organized for local citizens also. In these inclusive programs students work in teams with professionals to entertain and teaching different lifestyle habits also, involving people even from the disabled population. The Dancing University of UP is a unique initiative in Hungarian higher education. It was founded in 2000 and its main aim is to create extraordinary leisure-time activities of high quality. It is exercise and entertainment at the same time.

Courses are accessible for students as sport classes for credits and it also serves as a contact point for students and employees of different faculties and individuals of the city on a weekly basis. It is an inclusive program even for elderly and disabled people of the society, like dance groups for people suffering from Parkinson’s disease, and others causing health problems. Hundreds of people meeting each other through these programs create different Clubs according to their special interests. At the UP some special dance and yoga courses also serve students and the public. Students are learning about meditations, chakra-color meditation, breath techniques, relaxation techniques, how to experience flow and most importantly, how to reduce stress in our daily live. As a member of the WLO family, we have organized online Dancing programs for everyone as a special activity on the WL Day.

Conducting sport and recreation research, our students regularly are outstanding in student scientific competitions. Besides theory, they are regularly invited to organize leisure and recreational programs in Kindergardens and Schools, organize ‘Health Days’ (health promotion programs in schools and companies), or help to organize recreation and sport programs for the public in any age groups (running competitions, fundraisings, jamborees), or national elite sport competitions. These events are very important and motivating for our students.

Equipped with outstandingly high standard instruments, the Szentágothai Research Center, and other Faculties of UP are available for both researchers and students. Creating leisure time activities for all, giving pleasure and science at the same time, is the most inclusive program a WLCE can give.

Creating leisure time activities for all, giving pleasure and science at the same time, is the most inclusive program a WLCE can give.

Inclusive leisure in China

Dr. Jane Lijun Zhou Deputy Dean of College of Education & Ms. Gloria Jia Ran Zhejiang University (China)

As past research and practices have proven leisure’s importance to the quality of life, it is not surprising to see that leisure is now increasingly pursued by people around the world, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity or ability. The same trend happens in China as well. The principal contradiction facing Chinese society has turned into the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life, as China’s president Xi Jinping declared. This turning point indicates us that leisure, as a helpful way for people to own a better life, has huge potential to get a significant place in China. Statistics issued by China Economic Life Survey (2021) show that back in 2017, Chinese people had an average leisure time of 2.27 hours per day, whilst in 2021 this number reached 2.82. At this fast-growing stage of leisure time, it is much more vital to promise that quality leisure experience can be shared by all groups of people. Here we’d like to show you China’s effort on inclusive leisure these years briefly.

Make Policies to Guide Inclusive Leisure to Diverse Groups
It is noticed that diverse requirements are always emphasized in series of leisure-related policies. For instance, China’s Outline of National Tourism and Leisure (2009) outstands the necessity to develop tourism and leisure products suitable for diverse groups of people like the elderly, women, children, and the disabled. Also, in China’s National Fitness Plan (2013), it in particular points out to promote fitness activities among key groups, especially preschoolers, teens and senior citizens. The blueprint of Healthy China 2030 (2016) proposes to formulate and implement health intervention plans by leisure and fitness sports for all, especially for groups such as adolescents, women, the elderly, occupational groups and the disabled. Besides, several policies are now under revision to better address inclusion issues in leisure.

Offer Facilities to Ensure More Participants’ Leisure Right
Following the policies mentioned above, a range of measures are taken. One prominent manifestation is the sports and leisure facilities have been and are being built around China. By the end of 2021, there were 3.971 million sports venues nationwide, with a sports venue area of 3.41 billion square meters and a per capita sports venue area of 2.41 square meters. In the next years by 2025, China plans to build or rebuild 2,000 more sports parks and other fitness facilities across the country. (General Administration of Sport of China, 2022) Among them, it is worthwhile to note that building facilities targeted to the disabled is put on the calendar and well-trained instructors will be involved in guiding the disabled to participate in sports and leisure. It is true that China is paying more attention to the quality and access of the leisure services, especially the facilities. However, in general, the current leisure services in sports, cultural, recreational and tourist are still limited to satisfy all needs in a well-coordinated way.

In all, with the advancement of leisure as a way to improve life in China, more inclusive, diverse leisure projects are launched. In the meantime, it’s noted that there’s still a gap between the level of China’s inclusive leisure and the level of other developed countries. While now that the gap means large space to make progress, we have reasons to expect a better society in China where everyone enjoys leisure and utilizes it to get a better life in next years.

In the next years by 2025, China plans to build or rebuild 2,000 more sports parks and other fitness facilities across the country.

Inclusive leisure in Brazil

Prof. Dr. Ricardo Ricci Uvinha, PhD., Full Professor, Dean – School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

In consonance with the 2018 Sao Paulo Declaration ‘Leisure Beyond Constraints’, we defend that all sectors of society, especially governments by listening to their communities, should develop policies and programs that guarantee leisure as a right, make and enforce laws that ensure ownership, social mobilization and full participation of citizens. The Brazilian Constitution declared leisure as a social right, a situation also assured in all state laws and municipal organs of Brazil, being an important document to promote leisure for inclusion in the contemporary society.

At WLCE/Brazil several projects have been developed with an emphasis on inclusive leisure. The WLCE in Brazil is linked to the University of Sao Paulo (USP). This is the major institution of higher learning and research in South America and counts with almost 100,000 students with no tuition fees (including international students). We envision our Center of Excellence fostering new opportunities for our students to travel abroad and connect internationally, as well as to receive international students in Sao Paulo.

A good example on inclusive leisure is the WL Day 2021, coordinated by the WLCE/Brazil together with Serviço Social do Comércio (Sesc) and the Laboratory of Management of Leisure Experiences (LAGEL). It was celebrated on April 16th, 2021, with the main theme ‘Leisure for a Better Life’. Participants were encouraged to foster initiatives that value their local culture through activities that enable the exchange of experiences and also incite reflections about the socioeconomic, cultural, and physical barriers for leisure in the current context and future perspectives. There were hundreds of leisure-themed activities held worldwide, among which classes, debates, book launches, workshops, congresses, seminars, etc.

As highlighted, from the Brazilian Constitution leisure came to be understood as a social right. The project entitled Field School perfectly aligns with that right bringing the importance of inclusive leisure with the communities. In 2018, members of the WLCE/Brazil participated in the organization of the WL Field School in Sao Paulo. This project, through its diversity of participants, enabled an extraordinary learning experience and transformation for most participants. Meeting students from all over the world and visiting the peripheral community of Perus with its historically black roots, as well as indigenous communities, strongly encouraged learners to re-evaluate their world view, and see-through different lenses.

Also related to the inclusive leisure, we highlight our responsibility at the WLCE/Brazil to offer a course entitled Leisure, Culture and Society’. This course aims at the approach of aspects related to the development of leisure, emphasizing this sector in well-known expansion and understanding the importance of this for cultural, social and economic development in its insertion in a globalized context. Under completion of the course, students will be able to understand and explain the various theoretical/social sciences perspectives on leisure as well as to place leisure in a social, cultural and historical context.

Finally, regarding the specific challenges concerning inclusive leisure in Brazil, it is worth to mention that a feeling that leisure is something superfluous before other needs persists in Brazilian society. Examples of this restricted form of understanding are strongly rooted not only in everyday life where leisure often is associated with vagrancy, but even in the public sector, where this kind of thinking prevails in cities across the country. Instead of being understood as a social right, leisure is usually seen as an excuse or attention grabber to perform actions merely to provide assistance to remedy the social problems that some regions suffer. This context leads to the need to understand governmental programs in general, as well the different public policies linked to inclusive leisure and social areas, where it is vital to promote the concept that leisure brings the opportunity to improve and expand the freedom of choices in the daily decisions of Brazilians. Thus, inclusive leisure is a powerful vehicle that has the potential to influence individuals in their journeys through life. 

From the Brazilian Constitution leisure came to be understood as a social right.

Inclusive leisure in Canada

Marc-André Lavigne, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada

The recreation sector has adopted a strong normative framework that is shared by many countries: leisure is a right, meaningful leisure experiences should be accessible to all, and recreation opportunities should be adapted to the users’ preferences and aspirations, especially for the most vulnerable members of our society.

After all, the benefits of significant leisure experiences are well documented. Recreation opportunities contribute to stronger communities, reducing inequalities and preventing antisocial behaviors. In other words, the outcomes of leisure participation go further than the simple benefits of one’s participation, and there is a consensus that access to quality leisure experiences for all is desired, that public investments should help create infrastructure to facilitate participation, and that we should promote inclusion and social participation regardless of a citizen’s age, gender, ethnic background and socioeconomic status. Whether or not we have truly embraced this vision is open for debate as recreation providers and public services tend to forget (or are unable to reach) more marginalized citizens and groups, who are often both recreation services non-users and those who might benefit the most from what recreation experiences do provide.

Redefining the responsibility of ‘dis-ability’ for recreation services non-users

There is a policy shift in defining what a disability is, which has been promoted by advocacy associations for persons with disabilities that could inspire how to foster a more inclusive approach to leisure experiences at large. More information on the approach of the International Network on the Disability Creation Process, their models and tools can be found online (www.ripph.qc.ca/en/).

The premise is that a predefined medical condition does not explain why a person is not able to act (or ‘dis-able’). Social participation is instead determined mostly by an individual’s environment and the ability to overcome environmental obstacles. In other words, a person is not handicapped, but disabled by the inequalities created by their environment. Defining a disability, or by extension defining a persons’ inability to participle, as the result of the interaction between a person and their environment rather than the immutable characteristic of a person forces recreation providers and policymakers to reexamine their role in ensuring leisure inclusion for all. The responsibility for a person’s or group’s inaction to socially participate is not on an individual, but now on the community as a whole.

Ensuring inclusive leisure experiences is a rather complex endeavor for policymakers and recreation providers alike and the principles behind this model provide a new approach and a new narrative to recreation policies and leisure exclusion. Even though focusing on leisure constraints is far from new in leisure theory, formulating and implementing policies to adapt the environmental factors to non-users, and acknowledging that leisure inclusion requires constant adaptations and monitoring initiated by community leaders, is often a shift from current practices. Instead of identifying and positively discriminating specific members of a community, while risking forgetting others, the focus is now on addressing the structural barriers to inclusive leisure experiences.

This model has been integrated into universal design projects, recreation master plans, and accessibility laws adopted in recent years, often to ensure access to all in recreation infrastructures. Such initiatives also lead to help understand and alleviate complex constraints such as financial limitations, time poverty, and cultural misconceptions, by adapting urban design, changing opening hours, working with new partners, implementing equipment loan programs or better promoting recreation services.

A person is not handicapped, but disabled by the inequalities created by their environment.