Engaging in recreational activities and the participation of people in various leisure, cultural, and recreational activities is one of the effective ways to stimulate creativity among members of society and ensure their health and vitality. It helps individuals break free from isolation and physical and mental stagnation, and provides a better outlook for the country’s development in all areas. Therefore, in today’s world, recreation is considered a fundamental right of citizens in various countries. Engaging in recreation and leisure is recognized as a cultural and social right, and governments have a responsibility to provide the necessary facilities and resources for their citizens in a fair and equitable manner, and create suitable spaces in different areas according to the needs of the residents.

However, in Iran, due to uneven development, especially in the development of specialized spaces and facilities, access to necessary spaces, particularly recreational spaces, has expanded unequally. When wealth and power are concentrated in certain parts of society, the ability of individuals to engage in recreation and leisure will also vary in

Recreation in World Development Programs

It is clear that the concept of leisure and entertainment has a direct and reciprocal relationship with the concept of happiness and well-being of people and society. In every human society, from the past to the present, the creation of leisure and entertainment has been a concern of the people, and in the modern world, many governments include this issue in their list of plans and programs to achieve sustainable development and ensure the health and happiness of their citizens. This is because the physical and mental health of individuals, especially the active force of society, is the main driving force towards growth and development, and it is through this force that the wheels of progress and industry will turn faster and provide more sustainable facilities for the people of a country.

Based on this, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations, the issue of the right to leisure of citizens is mentioned as a vital matter. According to Article 24 of this declaration, every person has the right to rest, leisure, and recreation, and in

Recreation place in Iran’s development program.

Although recreation is highly valued and prominent in the world, it has not been given much attention in planning and development texts in Iran and can be considered somewhat neglected. For example, the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran only mentions it in the third paragraph of Article 43, stating that “the economic plan of the country should be organized in a way that allows every individual, in addition to their job, to have the opportunity and ability for spiritual, political, social, and active participation in leading the country and increasing skills and creativity.”

This is while none of the five-year development plans in Iran have directly addressed recreation and leisure, with most of their focus being on tourism and to some extent, leisure time activities. These plans often mention promoting sports and physical education among youth, enriching students’ leisure time, providing necessary facilities for scientific, religious, cultural, sports, and recreational trips, and developing suitable camping spaces and cultural and educational centers.

Therefore, many recreational activities that young people consider as

Inequality in allocation of resources and facilities.

As mentioned earlier, it can be said that in Iran, recreation and entertainment do not exist as a unified concept. However, we can focus on peripheral recreational spaces such as allocating spaces and recreational facilities such as various parks, cinemas, sports clubs, and other cultural and educational spaces.

In the formation of different spaces and their allocation in various parts of the country, and even at the provincial and city levels, a type of inequality has emerged in Iran, each of which has led to a wide range of inequalities. Many of these inequalities have their roots in economic inequality and also exacerbate these inequalities.

In terms of location allocation and providing appropriate spaces, especially recreational facilities, there has always been an imbalance and imbalance between different regions in Iran. As a result of this unfair allocation, different classes have different access to recreational spaces, and in some cases, their definition of a specific type of recreation is very different from other classes or regions. This imbalance is due to the intense focus on a central region and

Uneven distribution of leisure and lack of sustainable development

Without a doubt, one of the important pillars of sustainable development in a country is its unity and cohesion. Any inequality in the allocation of resources and facilities among citizens leads to the perpetuation of inequality in other aspects of their lives.

One of the most significant forms of inequality is spatial inequality. This issue has resulted in uneven development within a country and even within a province. When access to necessary spaces, such as recreational spaces, is not equal for all, some individuals in society have the opportunity for growth and advancement while others are left behind. This process leads to a kind of injustice that hinders sustainable development plans.

Development at any level is a collective effort and all aspects are interconnected. When a part of a society or region is unable to nurture its talents and creativity, this backwardness becomes deep-rooted and institutionalized. Ultimately, this institutionalization leads to division and invites the society towards greater disparity between the haves and have-nots.

One of the important executive policies in reducing inequality,