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WASHINGTON, D.C. - The towering stone arches of Washington National Cathedral in
the nation's capitol rang out with the sound of nurses' voices April 25 at the
Florence Nightingale Commemorative Global Service marking the 100th anniversary
of Nightingale's death.
An aura of solemnity and joy suffused the church as a nearly 1200-strong throng
of nurses, their friends, family members and the general public gathered to pay
tribute to 15 million nurses around the world in this special celebration of the
2010 International Year of the Nurse. The service opened with a formal procession of nurse leaders, healthcare
professionals, student nurses and sponsors.
Lead speaker Leslie D. Mancuso, RN, PhD, FAAN, president and CEO, Johns Hopkins
Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics, urged nurses
to listen to the words of Mahatma Gandhi that we "must be the change we wish to
see in the world." She cited nurses' transformative work across the globe and
acknowledged how nurses reach out to those in dire need, especially women and
children. She said this helps them cast off the shackles of poverty and illness
and gain a foothold into a place of health and self-determination.
In an interview after the service, Mancuso said, "This was a day for nurses to
come together to celebrate the critical role we play in the world." She also
commented on the United Nations' eight Millennium Development Goals, highlighted
during the service, saying they were congruent with Nightingale's aspirations
and vision during the 19th century.
"At the same time we were celebrating all that nurses have done, we were also
grounding ourselves in how much we have yet to do to ensure health for all the
people of the world," Mancuso said.
The event was organized by the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health, the
Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International and the Florence Nightingale Museum, London.
To view a video of the ceremony, visit
www.nationalcathedral.org.
Photos by Keith Weller
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