19 December 2023 (PAHO) — The meeting to celebrate the institutional results achieved in 2023 was held on December 13, in the presence of all BIREME/PAHO/WHO staff. The aim of the meeting was to recognize individual and collective commitment and development and the promotion of effective exchanges with users and the national and international counterparts of the network that coordinates BIREME in Latin American and Caribbean countries. The program (link) included social and recreational activities to encourage integration and participation.
João Paulo Souza, Director, opened the meeting by recalling that this is his second year leading BIREME, acknowledging everyone for their work and collaboration, and emphasizing that 2023 was a year of many challenges. In conclusion, he thanked the personnel and their families and wished them renewed strength and energy in 2024.
For BIREME and its mission to democratize access to scientific health information, it is key that its staff keep their technical and especially their behavioral skills strong, such as teamwork, communication, interpersonal action, commitment, and readiness to act, as well as important attributes such as emotional intelligence, resilience, empathy, and trust.
BIREME has currently 39 collaborators at its headquarters in São Paulo and a focal point at PAHO Brazil in Brasilia. Most of them were present, except for those on vacation or leave. The end-of-year celebration was attended by Rogerio Cortes, staff development facilitator, and Sergio Carvalho, the occupational gymnastics teacher. Jobar Farias, HR Manager at BIREME, coordinated the various activities, which were supported by several staff members: end-of-year lunch, internal decorations and "Happy Holidays" souvenirs, among others.
In a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere, BIREME celebrated another year of hard work and achievements, expressing expectations of evolution in the coming years, considering its Strategy 2023-2025 with a focus on information for action in health and digital transformation and the implementation of its Biannual Work Plan (BWP) approved for 2024-2025.
Activities: "Joy, trust and values"
The "BIREME takes off its hat for its team" activity aimed to promote creativity and alignment with individual, collective, and institutional values, taking into account the main events that marked the year 2023, as well as promoting trust and open participation among the participants.
For this activity, employees were encouraged to make or bring hats, with which they paraded and shared the characteristics of choosing and wearing a hat for the occasion. Of the almost 30 participants, the top three were:
(1) "BIR Pink" hat, with Luzia Leite (ADM). A bright and beautifully decorated pink hat in honor of Dr. Carissa Etienne, Director Emeritus of PAHO who recently passed away on December 1, 2023. Dr. Etienne wore a pink dress at the opening of CRICS11 held by BIREME in São Paulo in December 2018;
(2) "BIREME doesn't leave my head" hat, with Verônica Abdala (PSI). The hat had buttons from events and BIREME itself; and
(3) "Osso" hat, with Adriano Rehder de Sá (ADM). In Brazil, the expression "está osso" indicates difficulty, challenges, and 2023 was a "osso" year, which is what the hat represented.
The values inherent to the BIREME/PAHO/WHO team were once again observed and highlighted throughout the event program, carried out with dedication and welcome by the organizers, as well as the participants.
The BIREME/PAHO/WHO team wishes everyone and their families Happy Holidays.
