The World Leisure Organisation has decided to dedicate their 2016 summer school to the memory of tourism researcher Douglas Ribeiro da Silva. Douglas’ research focused on community perceptions of favela tourism in Paraisopolis, Sao Paolo and he presented his findings at the 2nd Slum tourism network conference in May 2014 in Potsdam, Germany.

Douglas died in an accident while attending the WLO Congress in 2014 in Mobile, Alabamba. In his memory the WLO has named its next congress in Durban, South Africa as ‘Douglas Ribeiro da Silva Field School’.

The WLO would like to offer a tribute to one of the students who participated in the last WLO Congress. Unfortunately, Douglas is no longer with us, but he left part of his legacy on the way he lived. In spite of all adversities in his life, he chose education and knowledge as the path to be followed in order to change society, to empower and emancipate people. His life was an inspirational example on how to overcome difficulties and discrimination with knowledge. We would like to keep his spirit alive by naming the Durban field school after him.

Many researchers in the slum tourism network have expressed their gratidute to the WLO for this tribute to Douglas’ memory.