The 16th World Leisure Congress, co-hosted by the World Leisure Organization (WLO) and Beijing Municipal Government, was held in Jinhai Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center, Pinggu District, Beijing, from April 15 to 21, 2021. Prof. ZHOU Lijun, deputy dean of ZJU’s College of Education, and also the executive committee member of the World Leisure Organization, attended the congress and participated in all the activities..

As the first international conference held in Beijing under normal epidemic prevention and control in 2021, this congress adopted a hybrid format with the possibility of online and face-to-face attendance. This edition of the congress addressed the theme of Leisure Makes Life Better, and invited a carefully selected panel of worldwide academics and professionals, in the aim to provide a space to learn from leading experts in the leisure field and network.

Prof. ZHOU Lijun exchanged her opinions and suggestions on the development of leisure in China with the leaders and guests attending the congress. At the opening ceremony, Prof. ZHOU Lijun was appointed as an expert of the World Leisure Forum - Jinhai Lake Think Tank, and presented medals to the foreign representatives who won the awards for International Leisure Lifestyle Case. After the ceremony, Prof. ZHOU Lijun was interviewed by Beijing FM969.

Prof. ZHOU Lijun further delivered a speech on behalf of the World Leisure Organization at the closing ceremony on 18th April. She congratulated on the successful holding of the congress and expressed her heartfelt thanks to all the stuff contributing to this congress. She addressed that through the integration of international elements, high-tech conference management, cutting-edge theory sharing, and the presentation of traditional Chinese leisure culture, the congress has achieved the goal of "reflecting international standards, highlighting Chinese characteristics, creating leisure quality and sharing academic feast". She further pointed out that the successful opening of the 16th World Leisure Congress in Pinggu District of Beijing has given a "strong shot" to the leisure industry, which has been silent for a long time under the epidemic, and would certainly make Pinggu District of Beijing an important sample city in the history of international leisure development, providing Chinese experience and Chinese solutions for the world's leisure development. On behalf of the World Leisure Organization, Prof. ZHOU Lijun welcomed experts and scholars to actively participate in the 17th World Leisure Congress, and contribute more Chinese wisdom to the world's leisure development.

World Leisure Organization is an unofficial organization with recognition as a consultive organization with the Economic and Social Council of the UN. It is committed to exploring and creating various favorable conditions for leisure to become the driving force for human growth, development and happiness. The main activities of WLO include holding the biennial World Leisure Exposition and the biennial World Leisure Congress. The WL Congress has been rotating around the globe since 1988, and always working with fantastic destinations, cities and teams. It aims at becoming a global platform in the field of leisure to meet face to face, to experience, to interact and to learn from peers from all over the world.

Prof. ZHOU Lijun has been the director of the World Leisure Organization since 2011 and the Executive Committee of the World Leisure Organization since 2018. She has been active in the international leisure industry for many years. In recent years, she has made great efforts for China to introduce World Leisure Expo, World Leisure Games, World Leisure Congress, World Leisure Festival and other major activities. In 2018, the College of Education at Zhejiang University was announced to become part of the World Leisure Center of Excellence (WLCE) network by WLO. WLCE-ZJU is the only center in Asia and the fourth largest in the world. Since its establishment, the Center has carried out a lot of work in international cooperation in teaching and research, international exchange between teachers and students, and internship in World Leisure Organization, which has enhanced the international influence of the university and its disciplines.

By Tianxi He