The head of an international nursing body has called on nurses from all countries to pay attention to global crises like climate change and war, no matter how far removed they may seem.
Howard Catton, chief executive of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), spoke to Nursing Times on the final day of the organisation’s 2025 congress in Finland last week about his reflections on the global meeting of nurses.
“I don’t think that there are nurses who are isolated from global events”
Howard Catton
The event hosted more than 7,000 nurses from over 140 countries from across the world, where they shared expertise and knowledge.
Attendees also listened to, and participated in, talks about big-ticket issues such as the climate crisis, war, humanitarian disasters and workforce shortages – and the crucial role nurses play in the response to them.
Mr Catton, a nurse originally from the UK, said he was “moved” by the discussions that were had at the event, and by the enthusiasm, passion and expertise on display.
“It makes you feel very, very proud to be a global nurse,” he said.
He added: “We can bring people together in a way where they can talk, share, build relationships, have a little bit of fun, de-stress – but also have very serious moments… to reflect on some of the incredible things that our colleagues are doing around the world.”
On the final day of the event, Mr Catton chaired a discussion on the ICN’s Nurses for Peace campaign, which supports nursing staff responding to humanitarian emergencies.
This discussion hosted video messages from nurses on the front lines of conflicts in Palestine, Israel, Myanmar, Sudan and others, as well as an in-person speech from Ukraine chief nursing officer Dr Kateryna Komar.
Mr Catton said the session made him reflect on the loss of life the nursing profession had faced in recent years.
He said: “One of the difficult things about my job is that it can be on a weekly basis that you’re writing letters of condolence because of tragedies or disasters…
Nurses shine mobile phone torches in a vigil to nurses in warzones and humanitarian disaster zones at ICN Congress 2025
“I’ve lost count of the number of times where I meet people and they said it was so important to get that letter, not because the letter was important, but because [it] meant they felt solidarity, internationally.”
The climate crisis, and its impact on health, as well as the difficulties faced by developing countries to train and retain nurses featured heavily in discussions at ICN Congress.
Mr Catton said he was pleased by the way national nursing associations, such as the Royal College of Nursing in the UK, provided a “strong voice” on these issues throughout the ICN event.
He reiterated calls by keynote speaker Dr Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand, for nurses to use their “moral authority” to enact change.
Mr Catton said the headline topics mentioned at congress, and others like non-communicable diseases, mental health, diversity and equity, should be on the forefront of nurses’ minds regardless of where they live.
He told Nursing Times: “It’s not just, ‘there’s a disaster over here and it has nothing to do [with me]’…
“I bet there are [nurses] who will have sat and watched pictures of events around the world, difficult pictures to watch… and have had massively strong emotional reactions and responses about the colleagues who they see doing the best they can whilst under attack.”
He added: “So even if you’re attached to your hospital, [or] you’ve never left the UK, I don’t think that there are nurses who are isolated from global events…
“I think all of us are connected by these events.”
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