ICN highlights the need for collaboration in its efforts to provide humanitarian help in place of conflict around the world

ICN Chief Executive Officer Howard Catton has re-emphasised the importance of partnerships and collaboration in the organisation’s efforts to help support nurses in conflict zones and in natural and human-made disasters.

In the last plenary session of ICN Congress 2025 in Helsinki, Finland, Mr Catton gave a short speech about ICN’s role in humanitarian work and assistance.

Mr Catton said: “ICN has, throughout its history, supported humanitarian work and the response to disasters and conflicts around the world. But in more recent years, following the invasion of the Ukrainian and the start of that war, we saw an enormous outpouring from nursing associations around the world who wanted to demonstrate their support, their solidarity - nurse to nurse, nursing association to nursing association. And that's why ICN established the #NursesforPeace initiative.

‘We're not able to do the fantastic work that ICRC and MSF, for example, do, but we can connect nurses and we can connect nursing associations. And we can provide a way in which the word solidarity comes to life. You may also be aware that WHO has an initiative called Health for Peace. The Director General, Dr Tedros, frequently says peace is the best medicine. We know, as nurses, but we are health makers, but we're also peace makers, because when we bring health, we bring healing, we bring compassion, we bring hope, we bring cohesion, we bring people together. We have to eliminate divisions and differences as well.

‘ICN has been able to present our #NursesforPeace initiative at WHO as part of their Health for Peace Initiative. I know that you will understand this, but there are many who don't get those connections, but it enabled us to really support nurses in the way that we wanted to.”

Mr Catton introduced Dr Byron Scott, President and Chief Operating Officer of Direct Relief, and presented him with the ICN Partners in Development Award, which recognizes foundations, corporations, non-governmental organizations or other groups that have demonstrated outstanding leadership and investment in nursing and health care capacity building, during the plenary session.

Dr Scott explained that Direct Relief is a humanitarian logistical organisation that has entered into a partnership with ICN. The partnership enables Direct Relief to harvest vital information from nurses working on the ground in conflict and war-torn situations around the world.

Dr Scott said: “We try to remain optimistic, we try to engage our partners, and we have met some potential partners here [at Congress] who may be able to provide additional aid to Gaza. Peace is not just the absence of conflict: it is the presence of opportunity, equity, dignity and help for all people. And I just want to highlight two words - equity and dignity. The nursing profession epitomises this: nurses provide equitable care, day in, day out, and you provide it, with dignity. I just want to call that out and appreciate what you do, and for all the nursing leaders out there, because it is important to have strong leaders.”

Mr Catton also welcomed Ukraine’s Chief Nursing Officer Kateryna Balabanova, who spoke about her country’s plight and the desire of Ukraine’s nurses to join ICN as a full member. Ms Balabanova said:

“Russia attacked Ukraine and we have been at war for three years: three years, three months and nine days. All our territory now is under attack. Our country is big, and even if you live 1,300 kilometres from the front line, you are not in safety, because each night you are under attack.

And despite such situations in our country all this time, we continue to build our nursing policy in our country. In 2024, a three-year strategy for nurse development was approved by the Minister of Health of Ukraine. And it was built on WHO’s pillars of education, jobs, services and leadership. Leadership is one of our key national priorities – not just words, but action. Because during war, our nurses continue to work under a bomb attack in each hospital.

They are women, mothers, but they are professional. They continue to come to their workplace each day, despite what happens during the night, because they take care of the patient, they take care of wounded soldiers, and all have a care system in our country that is built on nurses.”

Ms Balabanova said the next step for Ukraine’s nurses is to create a strong union of nurse, midwives and medical workers with a strong system and a road map, and she said she needs help from ICN to achieve this: “Because we want to become a full member of ICN, not in spirit but in reality, with all the rights and responsibility of membership. Our dream at the next ICN Congress is to proudly carry the Ukrainian flag, not as a guest but as an equal member. You, with your support have brought us closer to that dream. Now we must build the structure that last and lead for years to come.”

During the session, video messages from nurses in areas of conflict were shown, and the session ended with a moment of solidarity for all the nurses around the world who are living in terrible conditions of war, conflict and disaster.