International Nurses Day

International Nurses Day is observed every year on 12th May, the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale in 1820 — the British nurse, statistician, and social reformer widely regarded as the founder of modern, evidence-based nursing. The International Council of Nurses (ICN), the global federation SLNA belongs to, began marking the day annually in 1965, and it was formally established under the name "International Nurses Day" in January 1974.

• 12 May 1820: Florence Nightingale is born in Florence, Italy, to a wealthy English family
• 1854-1856: Nightingale leads a team of nurses caring for wounded soldiers during the Crimean War, dramatically reducing mortality rates through hygiene reform, and earning her the enduring name "The Lady with the Lamp"
• 1860: She founds the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas' Hospital in London — widely considered the first secular, professional nursing school in the world
• 1899: The International Council of Nurses (ICN) itself is founded, becoming the world's first international organisation for health professionals
• 1965: The ICN begins marking 12 May annually in honour of Nightingale's legacy
• 1974: 12 May is formally designated "International Nurses Day" by the ICN
• Today: Celebrated island-wide by SLNA with award ceremonies, public awareness campaigns, and commemorative events honouring Sri Lanka's nursing workforce

Sri Lanka's Own Nightingale Connection

Nursing in Sri Lanka has a direct historical link to the Nightingale tradition being commemorated each year. The first Nightingale-trained nurses arrived in colonial Ceylon in 1878, less than two decades after Nightingale founded her training school in London, to establish the island's earliest formal nurse training programmes. This makes International Nurses Day a particularly meaningful observance for SLNA, connecting Sri Lanka's own 147-year nursing history directly to the global tradition the day commemorates.

This Year's Global Theme: Empowered Nurses Save Lives

Each year, the ICN sets a global theme for International Nurses Day and publishes an accompanying evidence report that frames how national associations like SLNA commemorate the occasion. The theme for International Nurses Day 2026 is "Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives," chosen by the ICN at a moment of intense global pressure on health systems worldwide.

The 2026 campaign builds on the ICN's two preceding reports, The Economic Power of Care and Caring for Nurses Strengthens Economies, and makes the case that nurses save and improve the greatest number of lives when they are properly empowered — through safe and fair working conditions, full scope of practice, professional authority, and genuine influence over health policy. ICN President José Luis Cobos Serrano described the theme as recognising that "nurses are doing extraordinary work to both save and improve the lives of individuals and entire communities," while stressing that they "must be fully empowered to make the greatest impact on people's health."

The ICN's 2026 International Nurses Day report, Empowered Nurses Save Lives, sets out evidence for seven distinct "nursing powers" — trust, the professional, numbers, practice, care, proximity, and peace — each linked to measurable, data-backed improvements in health outcomes, patient safety, access to care, and health-system resilience. The official campaign hashtags are #IND2026 and #OurNursesOurFuture.

How SLNA Marks International Nurses Day

The Sri Lanka Nurses' Association observes International Nurses Day with island-wide commemorative programmes that bring together nursing leaders, educators, students, and healthcare institutions to honour the profession's contribution to the nation's health. Past celebrations have included a formal ceremony attended by academic and hospital leadership, with a keynote theme speech reflecting that year's ICN theme, alongside the traditional felicitation of Florence Nightingale and the ceremonial lighting of the nurse's lamp — a symbolic nod to her Crimean War legacy.

These events typically feature commemorative speeches on the significance of the day, recognition of nurses' contributions across hospitals and communities, and activities engaging the next generation of nursing students, reflecting SLNA's broader mission to raise the profile of nursing in Sri Lanka and strengthen the profession's voice nationally and internationally.

• A formal commemorative ceremony with theme speeches aligned to the ICN's global campaign for the year
• Felicitation and lamp-lighting rituals honouring Florence Nightingale's legacy
• Recognition of the contributions of nurses across Sri Lanka's public and private healthcare institutions
• Engagement activities involving nursing students and early-career nurses
• Public awareness messaging highlighting the value of nursing to Sri Lanka's health system

For details of this year's programme, date, and venue, please check the Events Calendar or SLNA's official announcements circulated to members ahead of 12 May.