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City of Nanaimo is planning a “Take a Walk in a Park” theme and “Try Something New” leisure activties. This will include organized opportunities that individuals, groups, families can experience at free or low cost exposure to leisure activities.

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“You need to move!”

A whole day family programme organized the 22nd of April for everyone, using each possible room and equipment on University of Pécs campus

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Sesc is a member of the World Leisure Organization and works daily throughout Brazil to encourage and promote leisure for people of all ages. For World Leisure Day, the institution will hold over 300 actions in all regions of the country focused on experimentation and knowledge exchange.

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The Western Sydney Univeristy, in Sydney, Australia is planning an activation in the middle of Parramatta Square, which is a busy area in the Western Sydney area, with games, music and art activities. Stay tuned for more info!

16th April 2023

A day to foster Leisure for Social Transformation

World Leisure Day in 2023

Leisure For Social Transformation!

World Leisure Day will be celebrated all around the globe on April 16, 2023, to reinforce the role of leisure at the centre of the society.

In these uncertain times, it is more necessary than ever to acknowledge the importance of leisure playing key role in individual and community developments, contributing to the quality of life and well-being, enhancing social relationships, and often becoming a space for expression and engagement.

More and more cities and regions are officially joining the World Leisure Day to create a unique day and build bridges between people and city activities.

Will you join us?

Various formats can be used to highlight the importance of leisure, in all its forms: recreation, sports, travel and tourism, arts, culture and education. Activities can be in-person or virtual, depending on your organization or group. Some initiatives could include art or cultural performances, educational workshops, or sporting challenges, etc. Be creative and share how you could participate!

Here it comes!

World Leisure Day

The World Leisure Day (WL Day) is a global initiative from the World Leisure Organization (WLO) which aims to reinforce leisure as a social right and its importance in daily life, as well as to expand and promote leisure globally while recognizing that barriers still exist for many worldwide.

Why Leisure?

Leisure plays an important part in human development, personal growth, and the promotion of health and well-being for individuals in different socio-cultural contexts.

How it started?

The first WL Day on April 16, 2021 with the theme Leisure For Better Life was coordinated by WLCE/USP (World Leisure Center of Excellence/University of São Paulo), LAGEL (Laboratory of Management of Leisure experiences), and Sesc (Serviço Social do Comércio) in Brazil. The second edition of the WL Day, took place on April 16 2022 with the theme Leisure Matters and was organized by Vancouver Island University (VIU) in Nanaimo, BC, in collaboration with l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). Both universities are part of the World Leisure Centres of Excellence Network, which also includes universities in Brazil, China, The Netherlands, Hungary, and New Zealand.

Participants were encouraged to create different initiatives that value their local culture through activities that enable the exchange of experiences and reflections about the socioeconomic, cultural, and physical barriers for leisure in current and future contexts. There were hundreds of leisure-themed activities held worldwide, among them were classes, debates, book launches, workshops, congresses, seminars, etc.

2023 Official Hubs

WLCE Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island

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Sesc National Department, Brazil

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WLCE University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary

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Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia

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