An Invitation

The Ministries of Tourism, Education and Public Health and the Major of Montevideo have declared our meeting of national interest. They have told us that “It is a great honor for Uruguay to receive the 15th International Conference of ISOQOL, whose main topic is one of the main priorities of our countries: Health-Related Quality of Life and Equity.”

Our top International Organizing Committee has worked closely with us to prepare an original Conference with many new topics, very relevant to the area, along with the latest scientific developments. The Ibero-American Committee is intensely involved in local organization and we have all agreed on the suggested list for abstract topics.

As chair and co-chair of the meeting we suggest you make your plans in advance, in order to benefit from better airline fares and be able to allow a few days to know Uruguay and the surrounding countries, where you will find incredible nature and human wonders. If you've never considered Uruguay as a place to visit you’re going to be completely surprised by all it has to offer!

The country is diverse. Montevideo is an old-world European style city with fine restaurants, colorful markets, sycamore lined streets and a cultural scene second to none. Here you’ll encounter an honest, European culture that’s representative of what you’ll see throughout the country. In Colonia, you’ll find that the original Portuguese settlement has been restored, and its residents have made it one of the finest examples of old colonial architecture in South America. Bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, Punta del Este has been South America’s premier beach resort for generations, with its well maintained beaches, exquisite restaurants, hotels, casinos, and events of every description.

Once you are in Montevideo, or before arriving, you can transform an inconvenient stop into a wonderful 2 or 3 day small trip. You can arrive through Buenos Aires, in Argentina and enjoy the Spanish-style architecture, European opera houses and plazas and the best bargains in the region!! But you can also fly north for wine and skiing in Mendoza or south to El Calafate, located in the Patagonia region and famous for its magnificent glaciers.

You may also want to come through Santiago, Chile, one of the fast growing economies of the region, and organize, whether you explore the desert, mountains, islands, volcanoes or beaches, an unforgettable vacation, and even get to Machu Pichu, the hidden Inca city, in nearby Peru.

You will not want to miss the big giant of the region, Brazil. Many airlines make stops in Sao Paulo. From there you can travel to fascinating cities like Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia or Salvador and explore their amazing architecture and culture or the beautiful Brazilian coastline.

From any location, be sure to plan a flight or even bus tour to the massive U-shaped Iguazu waterfalls.

So, this year we want to offer you good science and excellent leisure time activities. To make your dreams true, a colleague from our Department, Berta Varela, has volunteered to answer any questions regarding places to visit, so you can plan your own trip. Bertha’s e-mail is bvarela73@gmail.com

We expect to have seduced you and that most of you are already making your plans. As a last incentive, if you are not still convinced, remember the River Plate region (Uruguay and Argentina) is where TANGO was born, so from tango lessons to great tango shows, everything can be included in the trip of your life!

We look forward to welcome you in Montevideo next October!
Assoc. Prof. Juan Dapueto, Co-chair
Prof. Laura Schwartzmann, Conference Chair