World Leisure releases 2020 Charter for Leisure

The World Leisure Organisation has released an updated Charter for Leisure, designed to guide leisure policy development at community, state, national and international levels.

The third revision of the Charter, which was first published 50 years ago, it encompasses important updates and changes in line with emerging social and global issues.

Introducing the revised Charter, Professor Atara Sivan, President of the World Leisure Organisation’s (WLO) World Leisure Academy, explains “in 1948, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognised the right of all to enjoy leisure time and to freely participate in the cultural life of the community. The WLO Charter for Leisure outlines the implications of this historic declaration for: governments at national, regional/provincial and local levels; commercial organisations; education institutions; professional bodies; non-government organizations; and individual citizens.”

The revision was conducted by a Special Taskforce of the World Leisure Academy over the period 2017 to 2019 and was approved by the WLO Board of Directors in 2020. The text of the Charter, related materials, revision process and details of the taskforce involved can be found here.

Professor Sivan added “I am grateful to members of the taskforce, international colleagues and members of the WLO Board for the inputs to the revision process. My special appreciation goes to Prof. Tony Veal, co-convener of the taskforce, for his persistence in moving this project forward and his rigorous revisions while responding to each and every comment made on the drafts.”

In addition to publishing the text of the Charter, additional materials are now provided on the website for educational, research, government and advocacy purposes.

Professor Sivan, who is Head of the Department of Education Studies of Hong Kong Baptist University, concluded “we trust that this revised WLO Charter of Leisure will assist professional and academic colleagues and organisations and individuals around the world in pursuing your aims to secure leisure benefits for all.”

Click here to view the Charter for Leisure and related support materials.