We are the Johnson County affiliate of the United Nations Association - USA, a national, non-partisan, non-governmental movement advocating for the life-changing and life-saving work of the United Nations.

Board of Directors: Jerry Anthony, President; Britta Loftus, Vice President; Amy Brewster, Secretary; Meredith Gall, Treasurer; Mercedes Bern-Klug, Stefanie Bowers, Jenna Eastman, Barbara Eckstein,

Farnaz Fatahi, John W. Fuller, Wangui Gathua, Sara Haroun, Donna Hirst, Bijou Maliabo, Lucie Mordecai,

Jean Paul Mugemuzi, Stefanie Munsterman, Blake Rupe, Sanaa Sebaaly, Claudia Suazo, and Sarah Terlouw

E-Newsletter Co-Editors, Jenna Eastman and Jim Olson

Bijou Maliabo, a member of the JCUNA Board and the UNA-USA National Council, and Neema Malibo, a JCUNA member attending Iowa State University, represented our chapter at the UNA-USA Global Engagement Summit, Friday, April 10 in New York City. Over 1,000 UNA members -- including many youth -- attended a morning session at the Mid-Manhattan Hilton Hotel and met in the General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters in the afternoon.

Throughout the event speakers and panelists emphasized public engagement in education, advocacy and action, especially on the part of young people.

As Neema observed, "leadership and impact see no age and see no limit."

Their complete reports are available HERE. Please scroll down to learn how the summit strengthened their commitment to the mission of UNA-USA.

Some Highlights

Why Was This Conference Important?

Bijou writes,

The Summit reinforced my understanding that the strength of the United Nations depends significantly on engagement at the local and regional levels.

The summit highlighted that global challenges—including conflict, misinformation, governance gaps, and climate change, require not only international cooperation but also sustained grassroots participation. It strengthened my view that UNA-USA chapters play a vital role in connecting global priorities to local communities through education, advocacy, and civic engagement.

Moving forward, my role will focus on advancing three key priorities. First, supporting local education and outreach efforts within the Johnson County chapter to increase awareness of the UN and its work. Second, encouraging youth participation through Model UN and related programs to help develop informed and engaged future leaders. Third, contributing regional perspectives as a National Council member to ensure the North Central Region’s voice is represented in broader UNA-USA discussions on engagement and reform.

Overall, I view my continued work as part of a broader effort to translate global dialogue into local action, strengthening public understanding of the United Nations and supporting its mission through consistent community-level engagement.

Neema writes,

The Global Engagement Summit has reminded me that leadership and impact see no age and see no limit.

This year's theme has made me understand that peacekeeping isn’t just a word, it’s a movement.

What made this summit truly worth the travel was the number of youth who had participated in the summit. Sessions that discussed AI and social media–all of which are surrounded by my generation– gave youth the opportunity to understand, represent, and focus on what these tools can mean for our future. Seeing college, high school, and even down to middle school students was something beyond inspiring. To firsthand witness my peers represent the same resilience I have towards building a more effective UN gave me hope in knowing that I was never alone in my passion, work, and dedication towards the future. GES has given me encouragement to push forward as a leader as I see my peers attending the same summit with the same idea–change.