From Pixel2013 on Pixabay.com
|
Since our original dreams in the 1990s — and across the years since NIGH was established — our growing global community of friends and supporters have established a remarkable history of projects and accomplishments featured below.
|
|
2025 — Elected to the Board of Directors of the
Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO)
Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO)
On October 30th, 2025, NIGH was elected to join the Board of Directors of the 631 Member Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations — an international non-governmental organization founded in 1948 that relates to the United Nations through its General Consultative Status granted by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It has 525 member organizations from around the world and 106 associate members. NIGH's own Board Member Cyril Ritche was elected as CoNGO's First Vice President at this same meeting.
2025 — Three Music Videos Launched to Celebrate the International Year of the Nurse
|
|
|
|
THE HEALERS was inspired, in 2023, by our Nurses' Voices Campaign, by our Nurses' Voices Speaker Series (2023-2024) and by our Student Nurses' Voices Speaker Series (2024-2025). The Flame of Florence Nightingale’s Legacy: Our Nightingale Prayer is a fresh video version of the Prayer first presented in Istanbul in 1996 and often used in ceremonies honouring Nightingale and on front pages of many textbooks and journal articles, as well as on NIGH’s website. See the Person Who Is A Nurse is a free-Verse poem inspired by our recent ‘Student Nurses' Voices from Southeast Asia.’
|
2025 — Letter of Appreciation
Image from www.UNITAR.org
We are most grateful to be appreciated by
Mr. Nikhil Seth, United Nations Assistant Secretary General & Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR) — upon his retirement! |
|
2024 — NIGH's International Co-Directors publish a leading Editorial in the prestigious International Nursing Review of the International Council of Nurses
“Remembering Nightingale in Her Turbulent Times: Introducing the Theory of Integral Nursing in Our Turbulent Times”
|
This distinguished Editorial—by NIGH's own Dr. Deva-Marie Beck & Dr. Barbara M. Dossey—connects selected points from Florence Nightingale's life with concerns for the distress nurses are experiencing worldwide. We live in turbulent times of disease, armed conflict, vast climate change, and social injustice. All are factors exacerbating illness and impacting health— factors Nightingale also addressed throughout her life. The text features an introduction to Dr. Dossey's the Theory of Integral Nursing and introductory examples of nursing's problems and potential solutions using this integral perspective at individual, group, grassroots, and global levels. Illustrating these points, relevant Nightingale quotes and life narratives illustrate how she responded to the challenges of disease, war, environmental devastation, and social injustice in her time. See: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/inr.13064
|
2024-2025 — Student Nurses‘ Voices Speaker Series in collaboration
with the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR)
with the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR)
|
Our Student Nurses' Voices Speaker Series — Co-Hosted by UNITAR CIFAL York — features leading Student Nurses and their Professors — sharing their keen insights about their significance for the health of all humanity.
|
|
2023-2024 — Nurses’ Voices Speaker Series in collaboration
with the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR)
with the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR)
|
Our Nurses' Voices Speaker Series featured 50 leading nurses with stories of compassion and commitment to humanity’s health — broadcast with the generous sharing of UNiTAR's CIFAL York centre at York University in Toronto.
|
2023 — Virtual Launch of NIGH’s ‘Nurses’ Voices Grassroots to Global Campaign
|
The Virtual Launch >>> of our ‘Nurses’ Voices’ Campaign was broadcast from Switzerland, on July 21, 2023, from the 2023 Caux Forum 'Healing the Wounds of the Past' where 33 participants—including student nurses—joined from 12 nations and 5 WHO Regions. This Virtual Launch >>> webpage features an introductory message from the World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Nursing Officer Dr. Amelia Tuipulotu. This image and her bio are featured with appreciation to the 2023 Virtual International Day of the Midwife.
|
|
2021-2022 — NIGH’s Focus on Sharing United Nations SDG Stories
|
While the COVID pandemic has ravaged humanity for more than two years — nurses and others continue to struggle on the demanding frontlines of this global crisis. Nurses are appreciated for this service, but their public voices are rarely heard. Hence, we welcome Story Submissions >>> by nurses and concerned citizens — to share how UN SDG #3 ‘Good Health & Well-Being’ is being achieved, locally, nationally and globally. We also welcome advocacy for achieving all the UN SDGs >>> and for promoting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples >>> Nursing students and other students from related disciplines — at all levels — are encouraged to submit!!!
|
2021 — NIGH's History Shared in Three Languages — English, Spanish & Portuguese
|
Authored by NIGH's own International Co-Director Dr. Deva-Marie Beck, this Open Source Tri-Lingual article articulates how the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health was founded by three Nightingale Scholars who wanted to develop strategies to bring the keen relevance of Florence Nightingale's insights into our 21st century challenges and culture.
|
Click on image to download this Open-Space Article in English, Spanish and / Portuguese
|
2021 — Honoring the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
|
The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples >>> is the most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of indigenous peoples — establishing a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the indigenous peoples of the world. We are promoting this significant UN Declaration — in specific response to the Canadian Truth & Reconciliation >>> and Calls to Action >>>
|
Accessed with appreciative attribution to the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner
|
2021 — NIGH’s History Shared in Three Languages
|
A 2021 article — from a top nursing journal in South America — Revista Latino-Americana Emphermagen — shares NIGH's history in English, Spanish & Portuguese — Creating the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health: Theoretical Reflections to Follow in Florence Nightingale's Footsteps >>>. To see the background story, click here >>>
|
Image by Rodion Kusaev on Unsplash
|
2020 — Launch of the Nightingale Declaration in All Six United Nations Languages +++
|
To extend our global out-reach, we are providing ways to feature many language versions of the Nightingale Declaration for a Healthy World >>>
|
|
|
2020 — WHO’s International Year of the Nurse & the Midwife
|
|
Despite pandemic restrictions, our NIGH teams celebrated WHO's International Year of the Nurse in many ways >>> We also collaborated with the Institute of Noetic Sciences >>> HeartMath >>> and the Watson Caring Science Institute >>> to share a worldwide multi-language Meditation >>> on May 12, 2020, Nightingale's 200th Birthday and posted to appreciate other 2020 Celebrations >>> NIGH's Dr. Barbara Dossey & Dr. Deva-Marie Beck also presented a major webinar on the left.
|
2019-2020 — ‘In Florence Nightingale's Own Words’
|
To vividly remember the 2020 Bicentenary of Florence Nightingale’s birth and appreciate her timeless relevance — we created this brief film of profound insights, vivid graphics and evocative music. The celebrated images have been gathered from International Photoshare >>> and related sources, with inspired music from ‘Scheherazade’ whose melodies sing a passionate and courageous voice for human rights, well-being and for life itself.
|
|
2018 — Granted UN Economic & Social Council ‘Special Consultative Status’
From Wikimedia by Neurovelho
|
On July 26, 2018, we were granted 'Special Consultative Status' with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) >>> Representing the grassroots-to-global movement of the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health, our Canadian NGO — 'NIGH World' — received this leading UN NGO 'Status' after more than a decade of work within the arenas of UN organizations and agencies. This ‘Special Consultative’ relationship is the key way UN ECOSOC receives input from NGOs for deliberations at official public meetings — as well as in UN international conferences and related preparatory meetings.
|
2017 — Celebrating at the UN Commission for the Status of Women
Canadian Dr. Judith Shamian, 2013-2017 President of ICN
|
With the International Council of Nurses >>> NIGH actively co-sponsored several events at the 2017 UN Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW). ICN's Dr. Judith Shamian keynoted at our morning session >>> In the evening, we co-hosted a Gala Reception where many global and regional nursing leaders were honored >>> In addition, we took the time to do appreciative video interviews with people serving as NIGH's United Nations Representatives and friends >>>
|
2015 — Presenting in the Former Soviet Union
|
Representing NIGH, Dr. Deva-Marie Beck was honored to be invited — by the Yerevan State Armenian-American Medical College Erebouni — to share two keynote presentations for the 3rd International Nursing Congress of Armenia convened in two capital cities of the former Soviet Union — Yerevan in Armenia and Stepanekerk in Nagorno Karabakh. To review this story and enjoy lovely scenery — see our related slideshow >>>
|
Deva-Marie Beck with 400 Nurses in Nagorno Karabakh
|
2014-2015 — NIGH's UN Representatives Participate in Global Briefings
UN Youth Representatives for STTI & NIGH, Timothy Shi, Gloria Chan, DJ Schnabel & Raissa Sanchez
Across these years, NIGH established a working team of volunteers — based at UN Headquarters in New York City — to officially work with NIGH as UN DPI NGO Youth Representatives >>> In 2014, they hosted an official Panel Presentation at a United Nations International NGO Conference convened at the New York UN Headquarters. This Panel focused on sharing NIGH's Global Briefing >>> called 'The World Nurses Want' for nurses and others, worldwide, to actively participate in the UN 'Post-2015 Agenda' to determine the UN's new 'Sustainable Development Goals' for 2015 through 2030. See and learn more here >>>
2014 — ‘At the Heart of It All' — Collaborating with the World Health Organization
|
|
"At the Heart of It All: Nurses & Midwives for Universal Health Coverage" — was premiered at the 2014 World Health Organization WHO Global Forum of Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers in Geneva, Switzerland. It celebrates how and why access to quality health care is achieved through the contributions of nurses and midwives, worldwide. The music video highlights HD photos and a compelling music track featuring our human heartbeat. See the full story here >>>
|
2012 to 2020 — With the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation
|
Starting in 2012 — with five closing keynote presentations in London UK — NIGH's Dr. Deva-Marie Beck has inspired nursing leaders from 53 nations belonging to the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation. During WHO's International Year of the Nurse & the Midwife in 2020 — Dr. Beck encouraged 300 participants to see nurses as the “vanguard of what humanity can and must become.” Watch her full presentation here on the right >>>
|
|
2012 - 2014 — Daring, Caring & Sharing to Save Mothers’ Lives
|
|
To join in advocacy of concern for maternal health worldwide, NIGH launched a three-year campaign called Daring, Caring & Sharing to Save Mothers' Lives >>> Across the 24 months following our launch, the campaign website received 3.5 million hits from more than 90,000 unique visitors from 146 nations and territories. This video captures the launch of this campaign convened on October 21st, 2012 at St Bart's Church in New York City. Learn more details here >>>
|
2011 — Collaborating to Prepare NIGH’s Models for the ‘Integral Theory of Nursing'
|
From our beginnings, NIGH's teams have chosen an interactive-integrative paradigm to ‘connect the dots’ of our work — thus guiding NIGH’s projects and our long-term vision. With this perspective, NIGH's work has evolved by using Dr. Barbara Dossey’s grand nursing theory —the Theory of Integral Nursing >>> informed by an in-depth study of Nightingale’s life and developed and adapted from her friend Dr. Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory >>> This approach led to creating five of NIGH's Integral Models >>> to illustrate how we are all connected as individuals and groups working in local settings like hospitals and clinics as well as in larger global settings. Inspired by this work, Dr. Dossey also established a mid-range Theory of Integrative Nurse Coaching >>> to demonstrate how essential these Integral approaches assist nurses to co-create
shared mission and advances toward achieving the UN SDGs >>> |
The detailed Integral Nursing Model developed by NIGH's International Co-Director Dr. Barbara Dossey
|
2010 — Co-Sponsoring the ‘International Year of the Nurse’
The Nightingale stained-glass window at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. — depicting six stories from her life — and inspiring the 2010 Global Service remembered here.
|
NIGH was one of the creators of the 2010 International Year of the Nurse to celebrate Nightingale's Centennial. A highlight of this Year was a Global Service Commemorating Nightingale & Nursing — Co-Hosted by NIGH & STTI >>> and featuring many notable nursing leaders including Dr. Cynda Rushton >>> one of the principle collaborators of this 2010 event experienced by an overflowing audience at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. See >>>
|
Celebrated Soprano Maria Knapik
Award-winning Pianist Shun Yang Lee
|
NIGH was also privileged to share our advocacy to achieve the UN MDGs by Co-sponsoring, with CoNGO >>> a concert during the 2010 UN MDGs Summit at New York City's Lincoln Center with friends & colleagues Shun Yang Lee >>> Maria Knapik >>> and David Morley, Chair of UNICEF Canada >>>
|
2009 — Commemorating the Awesome Connection between Gandhi & Nightingale
|
NIGH’s International Co-Director Dr. Barbara Dossey participated in the 24th ICN Quadrennial Congress in Durban, South Africa >>> Because she authored the exten- sive biography Florence Nightingale: Mystic, Visionary, Healer >>> Dr. Dossey knew that the young Mahatma Gandhi was inspired by Nightingale’s service during the Crimean War >>> So inspired, he established a volunteer ‘Indian Ambulance Corps’ >>> while he still lived in South Africa. To formally
|
Dr. Dossey, Thembeka Gwagwa, Ela Gandhi & Ngangi Philemon Ngomu
|
commemorate this connection, Dr. Dossey contacted Thembeka Gwagwa, then President of DENOSA >>> to collaborate with NIGH to share an appreciative letter with Mahatma Gandhi’s granddaughter Ela Gandhi >>> who still lives in South Africa. In this photo, they are joined by Ngangi Philemon Ngomu, then Executive Secretary of the Southern Africa Network of Nurses & Midwives >>>
2008-2009 — First Collaboration with WHO in Eight Language Versions
|
|
This timeless video portrays the vital role of nurses and midwives in the health of humanity. Originally co-produced by NIGH and WHO in eight languages, English, Arabic >>> Chinese >>> French >>> Portuguese >>> Russian >>> Spanish >>> and Turkish >>> this video features WHO archival photos from 56 nations. Spanning more than 60 years since WHO's founding, the photo essay circulates the globe to the music of Natalie MacMaster >>>
|
Beginning with Our Vision in the 1990s — Stories of NIGH's growth to 2011
|
|
|
|
Our initial years are illustrated in four 'Parts' as indicated on the left. Each 'Part' highlights a slide-show sharing NIGH's original planning and projects as well as featuring more than 50 volunteers who have served as Board Directors, Advisors, collaborators and NIGH's UN Representatives and UN Youth Representatives.
|
