CYRIL RITCHIE
NIGH Board of Directors
NGO-United Nations Representative in Geneva
NIGH Board of Directors
NGO-United Nations Representative in Geneva
Since our beginnings, Cyril Ritchie has served on NIGH’s Advisors and Board of Directors—and now, also, as NIGH's Board Secretary and UN-NGO Representative and focal point in Switzerland—helping our Core Team to bring the voices of nurses and midwives into the global dialogue and the United Nations NGO community — from his decades of experience and leadership.
In 2018, Mr. Ritchie was re-elected First Vice-President of CoNGO — the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. Prior to this, he served for two terms as President starting in 2011 — before serving for 40 years and five separate terms as Secretary of the CoNGO Conference and Board and First Vice President.
Mr. Ritchie has participated in many United Nations Summits and World Conferences, including for Food, Environment, Women, Habitat, Nutrition, Social Development Information and for Sustainable Development. He frequently attends ECOSOC Commissions and sessions of other UN organs.
After serving from 1998 as Vice President, Mr. Ritchie is since 2017 President of the Union of International Associations. (based in Bruxelles) and is the publisher of the Yearbook of International Organizations, and of the international Conference Calendar. He also served as President of the 2006 International Civil Society Forum for Democracy, held in Doha. From 2000 to 2008, he served as President of the Council of Europe INGO Grouping “Civil society and democracy in Europe” and from 2008 to 2018 as President of the Expert Council on NGO Law.
He served 14 years as Executive Director of the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), and was Chair of the World Civil Society Conference (WOCSOC), (Montreal 1999). From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Ritchie was Chair of the Board of Advisors of the World Future Council, and is now Senior Policy Advisor to the WFC, based in Hamburg.
Since 1979, Cyril Ritchie is titular of the World Order of the Smile. He is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Titles:
2018-2025 First Vice-President
2011-2018 President Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations
In 2018, Mr. Ritchie was re-elected First Vice-President of CoNGO — the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. Prior to this, he served for two terms as President starting in 2011 — before serving for 40 years and five separate terms as Secretary of the CoNGO Conference and Board and First Vice President.
Mr. Ritchie has participated in many United Nations Summits and World Conferences, including for Food, Environment, Women, Habitat, Nutrition, Social Development Information and for Sustainable Development. He frequently attends ECOSOC Commissions and sessions of other UN organs.
After serving from 1998 as Vice President, Mr. Ritchie is since 2017 President of the Union of International Associations. (based in Bruxelles) and is the publisher of the Yearbook of International Organizations, and of the international Conference Calendar. He also served as President of the 2006 International Civil Society Forum for Democracy, held in Doha. From 2000 to 2008, he served as President of the Council of Europe INGO Grouping “Civil society and democracy in Europe” and from 2008 to 2018 as President of the Expert Council on NGO Law.
He served 14 years as Executive Director of the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), and was Chair of the World Civil Society Conference (WOCSOC), (Montreal 1999). From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Ritchie was Chair of the Board of Advisors of the World Future Council, and is now Senior Policy Advisor to the WFC, based in Hamburg.
Since 1979, Cyril Ritchie is titular of the World Order of the Smile. He is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Titles:
2018-2025 First Vice-President
2011-2018 President Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations