WLO, SESC Sao Paulo and the University of Sao Paulo (USP) are working together on the organization of the 2018 World Leisure Congress, the world biggest network of experts and academic in the leisure field, which will be held in the Brazilian city from 28 August to 1 September 2018.
Our local partner, SESC (Serviço Social do Comércio – Social Service of the Commerce), offers a wide range of actions offered which are fruit of a solid cultural and educational project that brings, since its creation by the commerce, services and tourism sector in 1946, the mark of innovation and social transformation. Activities for the elderly, social tourism, arts & technology, social tourism… more than you can imagine is offered by SESC at its centers SESC Pompeia and SESC Pinheiros, which have become a major referent in the city’s dynamic cultural and leisure life. We could not have dreamed of a better venue for the 2018 World Leisure Congress!
The University of Sao Paulo, which ranked the most prestigious university in Latin America at the QS Ranking 2018, on its parts, leads the Scientific Committee of the Congress, which will ensure its academic quality. The Scientific Committee is chaired by Ricardo Uvinha, Professor at the USP and former member of WLO Board of directors, and counts among its members with experts from other Brazilian universities and international scholars.
The main theme on the Congress focuses on the issue of Leisure and Access in its broadest sense. Thus, it brings to the fore at least three dimensions of barriers – physical, socio-economic and symbolic, for them to be recognized, discussed and overcome, so that everyone can enjoy and take advantage of leisure to its fullest expression. Complementing this main theme, a series of thematic areas have been now defined:
- Leisure Management & Policy
- Leisure, Accessibility and Inclusion
- Leisure for Children and Youth
- Leisure, Sports and Physical Activities
- Leisure Education
- Leisure, Health and Wellness
- Leisure and Aging
- Leisure and Gender
- Leisure, diversity and ethnical racial issues
- Innovation, Creative Industries and Digital Leisure
- Travel, Tourism and Hospitality
- Leisure for social and community development
- Leisure, cities and urbanization
- Production of Knowledge on leisure theories
- Leisure environment and sustainability
The program will put in place creative and innovative formats and will be completed with very diverse side-activities, which will allow delegates to fully explore Sao Paulo’s exciting leisure institutions and leisure life. We are confident that the Congress will be a highly enriching experience and an excellent opportunity to establish synergies within the leisure field. More information, as well as the call for abstracts, will be coming soon!
Photo credit: Pictures from Sao Paulo and SESC, by WLO Secretariat.
