III IBERO-AMERICAN CONGRESS TO PREVENT BURNOUT:

A TRANSFORMATIVE SUCCESS IN CARTAGENA

From November 20 to 23, the Sofitel Barú Calablanca Hotel in Cartagena de Indias became the epicenter of mental health and sustainable leadership in Latin America. More than 150 leaders and professionals came together to address the challenge of burnout with humane and practical solutions.

Networking Night: Welcome Cocktail (November 20)

The experience began with a warm welcome dinner and cocktail reception, providing the perfect opportunity for attendees to break the ice and start building valuable networks.

VIAHR Foundation founder María Méndez honored us with opening remarks full of vision and commitment, reminding us of the importance of caring for those who care for others and setting the tone of humanity and purpose that would guide the days ahead.

I am deeply happy with the results of this Congress. It has been a significant step forward, especially thanks to the attendees who trusted us without knowing exactly what we were doing and who today leave impressed, even exceeding their expectations. I sincerely thank each and every one of the people who have accompanied us. For us, continuing to make an impact and sow seeds is essential, and having so many voices amplifying our message is invaluable. The next edition will be held in New York, at the United Nations, where people are eagerly awaiting what the 2026 Congress will bring. Thank you very much.

Maria Mendez

Founder of the VIAHR FOUNDATION

Cocktail night | November 20, 2025

Conference day:

Strategies against wear and tear

The main day of the conference was a complete success, offering participants a comprehensive immersion in the diagnosis, prevention, and action against burnout.

The day was organized into three main thematic blocks:

The fatigue that cannot be seen | 9:00 a.m.

Speakers: María Méndez and Bisila Bokoko
When your body and mind say enough is enough | 9:35 a.m.

Speaker: Laura Gámez
Data that inspires action | 10:05 a.m.

Speakers: Carmen Martínez and Franco Mascayano
Leading without burning out | 10:50 a.m.

Speaker: Mario J. Paredes
Burnout and the search for meaning | 11:15 a.m.

Speaker: Renzo Salazar
Productivity tools to prevent burnout | 11:40 a.m.

Speaker: Jacques Giraud
Take a break | 1:40 p.m.

Team: Vacations is a Human Right
The Power of Rest | 2:30 p.m.

Speaker: Yira Vermenton
Respond first: the strength of a leader in the midst of fear | 2:55 pm

Speaker: Dr. Ramon Tallaj (son)
More human than ever | 3:20 pm

Speaker: Jacques Giraud

Conferences | November 21, 2025

ACTIVE BREAK day:

A Day of Recharging and Enjoyment

November 22

True to the principle that rest is a human right and a tool for prevention, the day after the Congress was devoted entirely to rest and reconnection.

Attendees enjoyed an unforgettable Active Break day in the idyllic surroundings of Barú and Cartagena, which included:

Relaxing massages and wellness activities.
Free time to enjoy the beach and the sun.
A guided tour of historic Cartagena to immerse yourself in the local culture.
The event culminated with a spectacular Thanksgiving Gala Dinner on the evening of the 22nd, celebrating learning, new bonds, and emotional well-being.

Testimonials from participants

I am delighted that we are here at the third Burnout Congress. I believe it is important to raise awareness of the importance of taking breaks and of people's well-being. The most important thing is to take everything we learn and try to apply it in our daily lives. We take that break back to our companies and our homes, and we also amplify the message.

Bisila Bokoko

Speaker at the 2025 conference

In an environment saturated with information and marked by technological acceleration, the importance of conscious pauses and rest is more necessary than ever. María Méndez's leadership has been key in promoting and raising awareness of this concept in work, institutional, and business settings, raising a banner of quality on an issue as real as the burnout experienced by many people when they neglect their well-being and family life. This message seeks to remind us that rest and vacations are a human right, and that the Foundation, together with María Méndez's team, is committed to supporting and sustaining this purpose. In the field of leadership, it is essential to promote a culture that understands and practices this balance: integrating wellness habits, respecting the boundaries between work and personal life, and spreading this vision throughout the entire work ecosystem. Only then can we build more sustainable and humane environments.

Ramón Tallaj (son)

Speaker at the 2025 conference

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Foundation and, in particular, to María Méndez. Since we organized the 2023 edition, we have felt that this is the ideal place: a space where symbiosis with Ibero-American culture occurs naturally. The location is perfect and every detail has been taken care of, something that is really appreciated as we live this experience minute by minute. I encourage everyone to join the fourth edition, which I am sure will be at least as good as, if not better than, the one we are enjoying now.

José Luis Tallón

Congress Attendee 2025

It is a real pleasure to participate in the Third Ibero-American Congress on Burnout Prevention. I believe it is essential to address this issue, especially from a business perspective, as it has traditionally been approached from a medical standpoint. My contribution as a speaker focuses on how leaders can incorporate productivity and time management tools to prevent burnout. A lack of organizational skills and poor time management lead to stress, deregulation, and, in many cases, burnout. Therefore, it is urgent to promote a more humane leadership style that is aware of the importance of proper time management within corporate structures. I am very pleased to be in Cartagena and grateful for the visionary leadership of María Méndez, who is always brilliant in promoting initiatives that provide direction and a future in the prevention of corporate burnout.

Jacques Giraud

2025 conference speaker

For me, this conference represents a deliberate effort to raise awareness about burnout. There are still many people who feel unwell without understanding the cause, and this space sows a seed of clarity, helping them identify what is causing turmoil within them and is directly linked to emotional exhaustion. On many occasions, we act based on limiting beliefs—our own, inherited, or imposed by our environment—that lead us to exceed our limits under the idea that we must do everything. This model reduces our efficiency, dedication, and quality, even toward ourselves. Learning to delegate, to say 'no,' and to ask for help is essential. These skills not only improve our performance, but also strengthen a more humane, sustainable, and conscious leadership."

Yira Vermenton

Speaker at the 2025 Congress

We are very excited about this conference and the impact it will have on participants, especially in relation to burnout prevention. Beyond acquiring knowledge, we want each person to leave here with a concrete action to apply in their personal or professional life, also becoming a disseminator of this message. The Vacation Is a Human Right organization focuses its mission on raising awareness, both at the individual and organizational levels, to prevent a situation that affects thousands of professionals in Latin America and around the world. VIAHR acts as an agent of change, promoting changes that can translate into legal, organizational, and governmental actions, promoting new laws, protocols, and cultures that allow workers to be happier, both in their companies and in their personal lives.

Renzo Salazar

Specialist | Conference speaker 2025

I am delighted to be part of the Third Burnout Congress. Thank you, VIAHR, for a day full of knowledge, connection, and learning. I loved it because, apart from giving us material with real data on what is happening in companies regarding burnout, we were able to practice on ourselves, reflect, and learn from these spectacular speakers in a privileged location outside Cartagena de Indias. Well, spectacular, thank you, and let's continue moving forward with this project.

Dalexa Fernandez

Participant in the 2025 conference

Personalities

Involved in the 2025 Congress

I want to start at the end by saying to María: thank you. Thank you for giving voice to something so important, something that we have all, to a greater or lesser extent, experienced. This gathering has been absolutely wonderful. You can feel the pleasure, affection, and attention to detail in every activity, and the treatment from the whole team has been truly fascinating. I came without really knowing what to expect, and I am leaving completely amazed. I hope we can continue doing this many more times. From my perspective in integrative vibrational health, burnout is the expression of a profound vibrational imbalance that arises from the enormous level of stress we experience when we don't stop, when we don't breathe, when life engulfs us. Thank you for creating this space. I hope we can continue collaborating to help people.

Laura Gamez

Speaker at the 2025 conference

Did you miss this edition?

Stay tuned to our social media channels and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know the dates and details of the IV Ibero-American Congress on Burnout Prevention.

See you in the next edition, more human than ever!