2016 Global Nightingale Networking

Planning & Preparing for Her 200th Birthday in 2020       Deva-Marie  Beck, PhD, RN
     International Co-Director, Nightingale Initiative for Global Health
Phalakshi Manjrekar, MScN, RN 
     Director of Nursing, P.D. Hinduja National Hospital & Medical Research Centre
     Executive Committee, NGIH World Board of Directors

During the first weeks of March, 2016, we met and traveled — to key ‘global’ sites in Europe — to together represent the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH). On behalf of NIGH, we joined growing teams and networks, worldwide, as we prepare collaborative plans for participating in the upcoming 2020 Florence Nightingale Bicentenary Year. 

Our first stop was the city of Geneva, sited in the most southwestern corner of Switzerland and nearly surrounded by parts of eastern France. Geneva was founded on the banks of the lovely crescent Lake Geneva (Lac Léman in French). People often like to call Geneva the ‘Swiss Riveria’ to appreciate its remarkable location. The left photo shows the famous unique ‘jetta’ fountain that towers near southern tip of the Lake, near Geneva’s ‘old town.’
 
During our first days together, we made a point of taking our own photo, below, in front of the historic ‘Palais de Nations’ —  the site where the United Nations has its European Headquarters. 

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We did this to remember that our current NIGH projects highlight public advocacy for achieving the 17 new SDGs — 'Sustainable Development Goals' — officially set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. 

Flanked by flags from all of the UN Member nations, the building behind us sustains the UN’s global precidence of envisioning a better world — as it is also historic the site of the earlier League of Nations, created to  attempt to achieve international peace after the First World War

Today, Geneva continues to be an historic international city — also the founding home of the International Red Cross and many United Nations Agencies and Organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), as well as prominent international NGOs working on many aspects of achieving global peace, understanding and development. Above photos from NIGH’s archives and Phalakshi Manjrekar’s camera.