VIU WLCE

This special issue of the World Leisure Journal will address leisure and aging internationally. While free time itself may have changed with the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, leisure behaviors and patterns have also shifted dramatically. We have seen a drastic reduction to leisure, with the pandemic affecting everything from international travel to opportunities for connection that typically occur in social leisure spaces. However, interesting patterns of self-expression and health-protective activities have also emerged.

Given these unprecedented circumstances, a joint decision has been taken by WLO and People’s Government of Beijing Municipality of the 16^th World Leisure Congress in Pinggu-Beijing, to postpone the event,  which was initially scheduled to take place from October 17 to 23 October this year.

The new dates to celebrate the 16^th World Leisure Congress are April 15-21, 2021.

Vancouver Island University has approved funding for research projects related to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of them will delve into how physically distanced leisure activities have helped us cope with the stresses of the health crisis. Dr. Aggie Weighill, a VIU Recreation and Tourism Professor, was featured on CBC All Points West and spoke about the study titled Leisure as a Mechanism for Coping with Stress Related to Public Health Interventions due to COVID-19.

VIU WLCE is pleased to release the 4th volume of the Innovative Leisure Practices - Cases as conduits between theory and practice. The 2020 volume contains five case studies profiling innovative practices including:

The World Leisure Organization is offering a series of online forums on leisure and recreation for interested young people around the world, with invited leading scholars and professionals around the world. 

This is an initiative from the World Leisure Organization Youth Ambassadors Committee.

The upcoming one is TOMORROW, June 17, 2020.

Invited speaker and topic:

Dr. Farhad Moghimehfar, Ph.D., Vancouver Island University

The Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management, in conjunction with our World Leisure Centre of Excellence is pleased to introduce Robin Hethey, Graduate Student in progress, who will be presenting her research and thesis.

The Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management, in conjunction with our World Leisure Centre of Excellence is pleased to introduce Shuo Wei, Graduate Student in progress, who will be presenting her research and thesis.

Case studies are a valuable way to synthesize and share lessons learned to create new knowledge and enhanced applications in practice. The National Extension Tourism (NET) Design Team and the VIU World Leisure Centre of Excellence are inviting submissions of case studies that highlight innovative and promising practices in sustainable tourism.

The IISAAK OLAM Foundation facilitates the development of sustainable and resilient communities, builds healthy and equitable relationships between Indigenous and newcomer societies, and highlights Indigenous solutions for reconciling humanity’s relationship with the environment.

The IISAAK Talks, launched on March 27, is a series of short educational videos about Indigenous-led conservation and the teachings that can help us cope with the COVID19 pandemic.