This study intends to explore the idea of a vocational village strategy to foster sustainable rural development. Vocational villages, offering targeted skills training and economic opportunities, present a compelling soft approach to rural development, addressing the need for sustainable livelihoods and community empowerment. Drawing upon the collaborative governance (the penta-helix model); underpinning the social capital perspective; and highlighting the economic, institutional, cultural, environmental, technological, and institutional dimensions of sustainable development, a vocational village strategy is expected to level up village capacities and facilitate modernization. The research was narratively developed through a qualitative methodology using primary and secondary data sources. Primary empirical data was employed to analyze vocational village practices in Panggungharjo Village, Yogyakarta, Indonesia as a representative example. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) framework provided secondary data to present comparative literature on vocational village development. The findings determined a four-staged vocational village model includes initiation, training, business development, and independence. The success of this model is contingent upon political, bureaucratic, and sociocultural factors (social capital), as well as the effective collaboration of government, academia, industry, and community (penta-helix). This research contributes to the urgency of vocational village practices and models as a viable strategy for achieving equitable and sustainable rural development.

With the development of the times and changes in the environment of traditional martial arts, Choi Lei Fut (a Chinese martial arts system), a Chinese state-level intangible cultural heritage, is facing many difficulties in its inheritance and sustainable development. Especially in the context of COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control measures, the sustainable development of Choi Lei Fut is facing increasingly serious challenges. In order to understand the current situation of Choi Lei Fut’s survival and development in the new era, and to enhance the momentum and vitality of its sustainable development, this study combines questionnaire survey and field interviews to investigate and analyze the current situation. Based on this, it proposes strategies to promote the sustainable development of Choi Lei Fut. This study will not only provide methodological reference for the inheritance and development of Choi Lei Fut but also offer insights for the inheritance and sustainable development of other Chinese martial arts gyms and even martial arts practices elsewhere.

Leisure education has an impact not only on individuals but also on the environment and society. The present study aimed to explore and describe experts’ knowledge and experience about leisure education to develop leadership among youth with physical disabilities. The present study used a qualitative research approach through an exploratory design to answer the research question. Five participants were purposefully recruited and selected based on their expertise in the topic of interest. Participants’ expertise ranged from leisure, recreation, youth and leadership. The participants had experience working in higher education institutions, and community projects, held doctorate qualifications, and have over ten years in this field. Data was collected online using Google Meet software using semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. Data was analyzed using a thematic analysis framework and guidelines. The findings of this study suggest that youth with physical disabilities can develop personal capacity through leisure education programmes. Leisure education programmes can be meaningful to youth with physical disabilities and have a developmental impact, including leadership. Youth with physical disabilities’ capacities and abilities should be nurtured and protected to allow growth and independence. The implications are that leisure education programmes for leadership development must be intentional to achieve the intended outcome.

The study examines the acceptance and sustainability of vegetarian, vegan, and flexitarian diets, focusing on the health and environmental benefits of reducing animal-derived proteins. Our objective was to investigate the level of acceptance of these dietary trends across different age groups and health statuses and understand how sustainability awareness and health consciousness impact dietary decisions. We used a mixed-method approach to achieve this, conducting eight in-depth interviews and a survey with 329 participants from various demographic backgrounds. Our qualitative analysis revealed that individual and family health consciousness, along with sustainability considerations, play a significant role in dietary choices, particularly among younger generations who are more open to sustainable eating. Quantitative results show that access to information and educational resources strongly influences dietary decisions, further supporting the spread of environmentally conscious eating habits. The practical significance of our research lies in highlighting the importance of educational campaigns and public health policies that can foster broader societal acceptance of sustainable diets. Educational institutions and community organizations can help facilitate the transfer of knowledge necessary for adopting such diets. Our findings emphasize the role of targeted communication strategies in increasing awareness of the benefits of plant-based diets. Furthermore, these insights underline the potential of policy interventions to make sustainable food choices more accessible and appealing to a wider population. Future research could focus on exploring economic incentives and examining long-term health and environmental outcomes associated with these diets.

This research conducts a comparative urban analysis of two coastal cities with analogous tourism models situated in distinct geographical regions: Balneário Camboriú in Brazil and Benidorm in Spain. The study delves into two critical urban phenomena impacting the sustainability of tourist cities, utilising social network data to gather insights into economic and urban activities (Google Places) and spatio-temporal patterns of citizen presence (Twitter). The spatial analysis explores the municipal and, to a more detailed extent, the coastal strip extending 500 m inland from the coastline, spanning the entire length of each city to their municipal boundaries. The analysis uncovers both similarities and differences between the two destinations, offering insights that could inform future development strategies aimed at fostering sustainable urban environments in these well-established coastal tourist areas.