ICN Congress 2027: the world’s largest international gathering of nurses

Registration for the International Council of Nurses (ICN) Congress 2027, the world’s largest international gathering of nurses, opened today on our Congress Website! The 31st ICN Congress will take place from 8–11 July 2027 in Taipei, hosted in partnership with TWNA. 

We are proud to announce that we have received more than 10,000 abstract submissions from across the world, a very promising start to what will be a successful Congress!

Registration now open for ICN Congress 2027 in Taipei!

Registration for the International Council of Nurses (ICN) Congress 2027, the world’s largest international gathering of nurses, opened today on our Congress Website! 

The 31st ICN Congress will take place from 8–11 July 2027 in Taipei, hosted in partnership with TWNA. We are proud to announce that we have received more than 10,000 abstract submissions from across the world, a very promising start to what will be a successful Congress! 

Read our full release on the Congress registration!

The Global Nursing Leadership Institute: a turning point for nurse leaders around the world

We welcomed our 2026 GNLI cohort to Geneva this month, marking the end of the 2026 GNLI Programme. After a week of learning, sharing, challenging ideas and building connections across countries and regions, our GNLI 2026 scholars have left with new skills, new perspectives and a powerful global network. 

Geneva Week may be over, but the GNLI journey continues, turning nursing leadership into action and influence around the world.

Read the stories of our new GNLI Alumni! 

Nurses supporting the daughters of nurses: ICN report highlights lasting impact of girls’ education fund

To mark the International Day of the Girl Child, we published our Girl Child Education Fund (GCEF) 2025 Activity Report, highlighting how nurses are helping orphaned daughters of nurses stay in school, build confidence and pursue their ambitions. 

Established in 2005 by ICN as part of its Florence Nightingale International Foundation (FNIF), GCEF supports girls in Eswatini, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia. Working through National Nurses Associations, the programme covers school fees, uniforms, books and other educational essentials, alongside mentorship and psychosocial support provided by local nurse coordinators and nurse volunteers. 
Read the full story!

ICN Alliance selected for Youth Council

Young and emerging nurses have gained a stronger voice in global health decision-making as the International Council of Nurses (ICN) Alliance of Student and Early Career Nurses joins the WHO Youth Council.

The Youth Council advises the World Health Organization on meaningful youth engagement and provides a channel through which young people can contribute their lived experience and expertise to the most urgent global health priorities. The ICN SECN Alliance is one of 25 organizations appointed to the Youth Council for its 2026–2028 term.

Read more about the SECN Alliance!

WHO Regional Committee Updates:

• The 78th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Americas took place in Washington, D.C., USA, from 28 September to 2 October 2026. Sarah E. Gray, Senior Vice President of Nursing Impact at the American Nurses Association (ANA), represented ICN as Head of Delegation. Statements online
• The 73rd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean took place in Cairo, Egypt, from 13 to 15 October 2026. Dr Kawther Mahmoud Mahmoud, President of the Egyptian Nursing Syndicate, represented ICN as Head of Delegation. Ms Sherien Mohamed Mohamed Saad, Head of Nursing Administration at the Egyptian Health Authority (EHA), accompanied Dr Mahmoud as a delegate. Statements online
• The 77th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific took place in Manila, Philippines, from 19 to 22 October 2026. Dr Rosanna Grace Belo-Delariarte, Past President of the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA), represented ICN as Head of Delegation. Dr Richard Henker, Professor in the Department of Nurse Anesthesia at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, attended the meeting as a delegate. Statements online
• The 76th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 27 to 29 October 2026. Hoi Shan Fokeladeh, Senior Policy Advisor at the International Council of Nurses (ICN), represented ICN as Head of Delegation. Deniz Urgan, a representative of the ICN Student and Early Career Nurses Alliance, attended the meeting as a delegate. Statements online

ICN President attends international colloquium and discusses Brazilian nursing priorities with Cofen

On 28 October, President Dr José Luis Cobos Serrano addressed the opening session and participated in the conference on “Leadership and Nursing Research,” alongside Benjamin Puertas, Chief of the Human Resources for Health Unit at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The session was moderated by Carla Aparecida Arena Ventura, Director of the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing (EERP-USP).

Read about José Luis’ presentation! 

Paediatric and Health Ageing Day organized by Haleon

On 19 October, ICN Senior Policy Advisor, Hoi Shan Fokeladeh participated in a panel discussion on Paediatric and Health Ageing Day organized by Haleon. The panel discussion aims to explore how health care professionals can improve safe, equitable and practical pain management across the life course, with a focus on two populations with distinct and often unmet needs: children and older adults. The discussion connected evidence, clinical practice, nursing perspectives, responsible self-care and caregiver education, translating guidance into individualized and actionable care.

New ICN report highlights nurses’ impact on global policy and turns WHA commitments into action

From WHA to Action: A Nursing Policy Guide for Global Health Advocacy & Decision-Making is ICN’s official report on the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79), held in Geneva from 18–23 May. ICN convened an in-person and virtual delegation of 150 nursing leaders. With none of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals on track for 2030, the report connects global decision-making with nursing action. It explains the decisions that matter most for nurses and health systems at WHO’s supreme decision-making body, where 194 Member States debate and adopt global health policies.

Read our full story!

ICN asks WHO leadership candidates to turn support for nursing into action

ICN has written to all currently disclosed candidates for Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), asking them to set out how they would strengthen nursing’s authority, resources and influence within the Organization and across global health.

The letter, signed by ICN President Dr José Luis Cobos Serrano and Chief Executive Officer Howard Catton, invites candidates to respond to specific proposals and explain the steps they would take during their first term. ICN will share their responses with the global nursing community.

Learn more about our message to the WHO!

Pandemic Agreement talks resume: ICN urges UN health rights expert to act on delays

As governments gather in Geneva for a new round of negotiations on the WHO Pandemic Agreement's Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) Annex, ICN  released our recent letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Ms Mariângela Batista Galvão Simão.

Ahead of the negotiations, ICN President José Luis Cobos Serrano and CEO Howard Catton urged the Special Rapporteur to examine the human rights implications of prolonged delays in operationalizing the Pandemic Agreement and to ensure that access to treatments, vaccines and diagnostics under the PABS Annex is fair and equitable.

Read our full coverage of the negotiations!

Throughout October, ICN's leadership maintained a strong international presence, with both ICN CEO Howard Catton and ICN President José Luis Cobos Serrano engaging in a wide range of events that advanced nursing leadership, policy, education and workforce development. The month began with Howard delivering a lecture on Leading Through Crisis: Nursing Leadership and Global Health Governance in a Changing World at the Geneva School of Diplomacy’s Emerging Issues Seminar on 7 October. The following days saw José Luis participate in the XVI APEGEL International Congress and II Ibero-American Seminar on Nursing Entrepreneurship in Lisbon, where he delivered a keynote address on Leading with Vision: Innovating with Ethics and Humanity and presented on nursing management.

On 10 October, Howard was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in Washington D.C., one of the profession’s highest honours, recognising his contributions to global nursing, health policy and workforce advocacy. Gill Adynski was also inducted, further reflecting ICN’s global influence. Meanwhile, José Luis travelled to Berlin to participate in the World Health Summit, contributing to discussions on health systems, science and global health collaboration. On 12 October, Howard continued his North American engagements by delivering the Rozella M. Schlotfeldt Lecture at Case Western Reserve University on Nursing Influencing Health Policy.

As the month progressed, both leaders contributed messages and greetings to nursing organizations around the world. Howard recorded a message for the 30th anniversary of the Mongolian Nurses Association and contributed a keynote address to the Johns Hopkins 2026 Global Virtual Conference on the future of the nursing workforce. At the same time, José Luis supported events in the Philippines, South Africa, the Caribbean, Portugal and Kenya through written and video messages recognizing the work of nurses and nursing associations.

From 23 to 25 October, Howard delivered a keynote address at SINMAC 2026 in Abu Dhabi, while José Luis participated in the XIX Pan American Nursing Research Colloquium in Brazil, where he highlighted the critical role of nursing research in strengthening health systems and leadership. The month concluded with Howard presenting the ICN perspective at the Asian Development Bank’s UHC PEERS workshop in Tokyo, while José Luis continued his engagement in regional nursing forums across the Americas and beyond, reinforcing ICN’s commitment to advancing nursing worldwide.

ODENNA™ LatAm participants continue advancing their organizational development journey through hands-on learning and peer exchange. This month, participants took part in a Deep Dive Session on Project Management, exploring practical tools to turn ideas into action and deliver sustainable results within their NNAs. Two team-building sessions also strengthened collaboration across the cohort, while mentorship activities progressed into the next phase, supporting participants as they apply new knowledge in their organizations. 

Participants have highlighted the programme’s practical relevance, collaborative learning environment, and immediate applicability to their day-to-day leadership and organizational challenges.

This month, ICN welcomed the GNLI™ 2026 cohort in Geneva. The highlight of the week was the visit to the WHO Executive Board Room, where scholars were accompanied by WHO Chief Nursing Officer, Amelia Tuipulotu. The program, led by directors Dr Diana Mason and Dr Patsy Yates, included several engaging sessions with WHO speakers, ICN CEO and Leadership, as well as ICRC Chief Nurse Officer, Natasha Moon. We were also honoured to receive the CEO for the Burdett Trust for Nursing, Clare Cable. 

If you would like to experience the week in Geneva and follow the footsteps of the 2026 scholars, you can apply to GNLITM 2027 here. 

Project Visible is an initiative to make nursing knowledge, interventions, and outcomes visible, measurable, and valued as health systems adopt digital technologies and AI. Standardized nursing terminology, anchored in global standards such as SNOMED CT and supported by responsible AI, can improve documentation, interoperability, and evidence of nursing’s impact on quality, safety, and cost. It is led by the Marian K. Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University. ICN provides strategic advice to increase nursing visibility in health records, care pathways, and payment systems. Initial results will be shared at our Congress next year.

Congratulations to our Bangladesh and Mauritius LFC teams on their graduation milestones! Bangladesh is celebrating 97 participants completing the programme, reflecting a significant investment in developing nursing leadership and change management skills. In Mauritius, 65 nurses received participant certificates, alongside eight trainers recognized for their role in supporting programme delivery. 

In Norway, approximately 40 nurse leaders from LFC cohorts 1–4 gathered on 8 May for an alumni day focused on sharing experiences, building connections, and continuing their leadership development. We thank all our LFC teams for their continued dedication to equipping nurses with the skills and confidence to lead meaningful change in their organizations and communities. 

Humanitarian 

To mark the International Day of the Girl Child, we published the Girl Child Education Fund (GCEF) 2025 Activity Report, highlighting how nurses are helping orphaned daughters of nurses stay in school, build confidence and pursue their ambitions. 

This year, ICN conducted a review of the GCEF programme across all four participating countries. The review documented significant results, with 176 beneficiaries supported in Uganda through financial assistance, mentorship and academic guidance, 134 girls in Kenya, 120 in Zambia, and 90 in Eswatini. 

The resulting report reaffirmed the programme’s value while identifying priorities for its future, including a sustainable fundraising model, alumni engagement, governance and pathways to further education and vocational training.