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Organized by the Vacation is a Human Right Foundation (VIAHR), it will feature experts on mental health experts on prevention and treatment of mental health problems, among them Carmen Martínez Viciana (PAHO/WHO), Alejandra Vallejo-Nágera, Néstor Braidot, Michael Leiter and Ismael Cala.

Santo Domingo, June 21, 2023

The First Ibero-American Congress against Burnout will be held in the Dominican Republic between June 29 and July 2 with the mission of exploring the risks of burnout syndrome in people and the impact on the productivity of companies.

"We are welcoming experts linked to the prevention and treatment of mental health problems, among them. Carmen Martínez Vicianafrom the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO); Alejandra Vallejo-Nágera, psychologist (Spain); Dr. Néstor Braidot, neuroscientist (Argentina-Spain), Michael Leiter, psychologist and burnout expert (USA), and Ismael Cala (Cuba-USA), communicator and life strategist," announced María Méndez, president of the Vacation is a Human Right Foundation (VIAHR).

"We all live through complicated moments of work burnout and also of 'emotional fatigue'. We must urgently become aware of this, that we are human beings, not machines. Concentrate our attention on our inner self, self-leading our emotions and developing emoenergetic coherence. Synergy between energy and emotion, to generate quality of life," said Néstor Braidot.

The entrepreneur and philanthropist Bisila Bokoko, another of the participants, said that "we are at an optimal moment, because we are becoming more and more aware that work burnout is a reality. And that stopping and resting is fundamental to improving productivity.

According to Aflac Workforces Report, Generation Z (71%), those with multiple jobs (66%), Hispanics (65%), millennials (65%) and women (62%) are severely affected by burnout. Still, in 2023, 45% of employers seem unwilling to consider burnout as an organizational problem, up from last year (43%).

"The prevalence of burnout demands urgent action. It is essential that workplaces are designed for people, rather than requiring them to conform to structures. Workplaces must be spaces where people can fulfill their aspirations to belong to a community, while contributing to excellent work," explained Professor Michael Leiter.

Dilcia Ruan, project director of VIAHR, added that the congress will feature forums, interviews, conferences, Q&A sessions, mini-workshops and networking activities. There will also be a day of breaks, rest and enjoyment at the exclusive Casa de Campo complex.

VIAHR is a private, non-profit foundation committed to the well-being of individuals suffering from burnout syndrome by promoting awareness of the importance of breaks as a means to prevent it. VIAHR offers accompaniment, guidance, training and break experiences for companies and individuals with this condition.

Article 24 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: "Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, to reasonable limitation of working hours and to periodic vacations with pay".

Travel For Change is the presenting sponsor of the event. The main sponsors are Somos Community Care (New York), Banco Popular, Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, "El Nuevo Diario" and Basilica Medical Management.

In addition to the in-person options, VIAHR has made available the possibility of virtual participation, in order to reach as many people as possible. More details are available on our website.

New York, NY, March 14, 2023

Vacation is a Human Right (VIAHR) will host the I IBERO-AMERICAN CONGRESS AGAINST BURNOUT - MAKE A BREAK from June 29 to July 2, 2023. The bilingual congress is a crusade for change and awareness to raise awareness about the importance of breaks (rest) as a means of burnout prevention through counseling, guidance, training and rest experiences for companies and people with burnout.

In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) added burnout to its International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), defining it as a "syndrome conceptualized as a result of chronic work-related stress that has not been successfully managed." It is characterized by three dimensions: feelings of exhaustion or burnout; increased mental distance from one's work, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's work; and reduced professional efficacy.

"Burnout is a condition caused by an individual's work, and their relationship with their work can lead to this condition," Elaine Cheung, PhD, a burnout researcher and assistant professor of social sciences at Northwestern University. 

Statistics show that Gen Z (71%), those working multiple jobs (66%), Hispanics (65%), those working multiple jobs (66%), millennials (65%) and women (62%) - are seriously affected by burnout. Yet 45% of employers are no more likely this year than last (43%) to view burnout as a problem for organization. 2022-2023 Aflac WorkForces Report. "...focus on fixing the workplace rather than focusing on fixing the worker," said Christine Sinsky, MD, vice president of professional satisfaction at the American Medical Association (AMA).

In response, the 1ST IBERO-AMERICAN CONGRESS AGAINST BURNOUT - TAKE A PAUSE will present worldwide experts in Burnout Syndrome who will teach how to detect, prevent, and act against Burnout to achieve a balance of personal well-being and work productivity. Among the guest speakers are:

Carmen Martinez-Viciana, Regional Advisor on Mental Health and Substance Use at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) for Central America, Latin Caribbean and Mexico. She will discuss the PAHO/WHO view on mental health in the workplace and why the WHO has declared Burnout an occupational disease and incorporated it into the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).

Dr. Michael P. Leiter, a psychologist and author, is internationally renowned for his work on burnout and engagement at work, spanning a career of more than 40 years in research and academia. Together with Christina Maslach (creator of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the most widely used instrument for measuring job burnout), Dr. Leiter has identified the key causes of workplace burnout and revealed what managers can do to promote increased productivity and health. He will discuss strategies on how to improve the workspace to prevent and alleviate Burnout.

The bilingual 1ST IBERO-AMERICAN CONGRESS AGAINST BURNOUT - TAKE A PAUSE, to be held on June 29 to July 2, 2023, at the Casa de Campo Hotel (La Romana) in the Dominican Republic, is open to senior executives and healthcare professionals interested in learning how to combat the consequential advances of Burnout in the workplace.

Santo Domingo, February 28, 2023.

Experts linked to the prevention and treatment of mental health problems will take part in the First Iberoamerican Congress against Burnout an event that will explore the impact of burnout syndrome (burnout) in companies, and the risks for individuals.

Among the guests will be Carmen Martínez Viciana representing the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO); Alejandra Vallejo-Nágera psychologist and wellness expert (Spain); Dr. Néstor Braidot neuroscientist (Spain), and Michael Leiter psychologist and burnout expert (USA).

The event will be held between June 29 and July 2, 2023 in Casa de Campo (La Romana), Dominican Republic, with close to 500 professionals, senior executives, human resources leaders, coaches and healthcare professionals from Latin America, the United States and Europe.

"The congress will discuss the tools that make it possible to combine business productivity and personal wellbeing in one of the most paradisiacal places in the Caribbean. We welcome PAHO/WHO and all the guest speakers," said María Méndez, president and founder of the Vacation Is a Human Right Foundation (VIAHR).

VIAHR advocates the "conscious pause" as a daily and life habit, resulting in less exhausted and stressed employees, and creating more friendly and humanized environments.

Just a year ago, the WHO established that burnout syndrome is a work-related problem.

"Today, human beings are subjected to work schedules that fatigue and dehumanize us, and we live as slaves to productivity. For this reason, rest must be a right of every human being. An activity to which organizations should give due importance, with the certainty that employees will have a better quality of life and work performance," said Mario J. Paredes, CEO of Somos Community Care, New York, sponsor-presenter of the event.

Colombia's Prosowa Foundation, which promotes issues of ethnicity, gender, health, sustainable development and education, is one of the congress partners.

For three days, entrepreneurs, executives, health professionals, and workers interested in or affected by burnout syndrome will obtain information and tools on the subject and will enjoy the experience of the "pause".

Other guest speakers include Carl Honoré, writer and spokesperson for the Slow Down Movement (UK); Ismael Cala, strategist and communicator (USA); and Aldo Cívico, coach and leadership expert (Italy).

Download the press release here

Santo Domingo, September 15, 2022.

The Dominican Republic will host in 2023 the First Iberoamerican Congress against Burnout - Take a BreakThis scientific and recreational event will explore the impact of burnout syndrome (burnout) in companies and the risks for individuals.

The congress will be held between June 29 and July 2, 2023 in Casa de Campo (La Romana), the exclusive and world-renowned resort area of the Dominican Republic.

"We will bring together close to 500 Hispanic professionals, business owners, senior executives, human resources leaders, coaches, general and mental health professionals from Latin America, the United States and Europe, to discuss the tools to combine business productivity and personal wellness," said María Méndez, president and founder of the Vacation Is a Human Right Foundation (VIAHR), the organizer of the event.the organizer of the event.

VIAHR advocates the "conscious pause" as a daily and life habit, resulting in less exhausted and stressed employees, resulting in friendlier and more humanized environments.

In January 2022, the latest revision of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases came into force, establishing that burnout syndrome is a work-related problem.

"This disorder impacts and alters people's ability to work. It affects the quality of work, job satisfaction, motivation, commitment, teamwork and cohesion, said Dr. Ramon Tallaj, VIAHR ambassador and president of Somos Community Care, a health entity in New York.

Somos Community Care is the sponsor-presenter of the event, which is supported by the Pan American Health Organization, the Ministries of Tourism and Health of the Dominican Republic and the Mayor's Office of the National District (Santo Domingo). One of the allies is the Prosowa Foundation of Colombia, which promotes the issues of ethnicity, gender, health, sustainable development and education.

The beneficiaries will be entrepreneurs, executives, health professionals, and workers interested in or affected by professional burnout syndrome, who, over the course of three days, in addition to acquiring information and tools, will have the opportunity to be guided to enjoy the experience of the "pause". Anyone interested can attend.

Following the congress, "VIAHR will benefit 50 low-income, burnout-affected women health and education workers (Latinas, Asians, Afro-descendants) who will experience a break," said Maria Mendez.

Guest speakers include: Carl Honoréwriter and spokesperson for the Slow Down Movement (UK); Alejandra Vallejo-Nágerapsychologist and wellness expert (Spain); Dr. Néstor Braidotneuroscientist (Spain), Ismael Calastrategist and communicator (USA); Aldo Cívico, coach and leadership expert (Italy); and Michael Leiter, psychologist and burnout expert (USA).

Press contact:

Michel Suarez

msuarez@michelsuarez.com

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