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

If your membership has expired -- or is about to -- you have received a renewal reminder from UNA-USA. The easiest way to renew is ONLINE. Please CLICK here. Many thanks!

JCUNA board member Sarah Terlouw has worked internationally for much of her career, partnering with various UN agencies, including UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the UN Population Fund, and the UN Development Program. Sarah is currently the Executive Director with the International Rescue Committee in Iowa. Her observations on World Refugee Day follow below.

World Refugee Day, June 20, commemorates the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, will release the annual State of the World's Refugees Report. In 2025, UNHCR reported that over 117 million people -- 1 in every 70 people on Earth -- had been forced to flee their homes.

World Refugee Day: JCUNA Honors Refugees and Their Impact in Iowa

by Sarah Terlouw

Refugees are an essential part of Iowa’s story, and on World Refugee Day, the JCUNA recognizes both their courage and their immense contributions to our state. Cemented in the 1970s when then Governor Robert Ray called upon Iowans to welcome Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian refugees escaping the perils of war and starvation, Iowa has always been a welcoming home for families rebuilding their lives—and the numbers tell a powerful story.

In the past five years, Iowa has welcomed approximately 4500 refugees from all parts of the world. Some of the most recent arrivals include Abdul Hakim and his young son, Abu Fazl, pictured at the right top, who arrived in Iowa from Afghanistan in early 2025. Like many Afghans who arrived as refugees within the last few years, Abdul and his family members supported the US military while they were active in the country.

Another recently arrived family, headed by Essy and Felly, pictured at the right bottom, fled the Democratic Republic of Congo and have since settled into Iowa City where they both found full-time work quickly, enrolled their children into daycare or school, and have since welcomed their third child. After living through years of conflict, Essy has shared the day before she delivered that “having a baby is a small game for me” compared to all they have experienced during and after they fled conflict in the DRC.

These two families offer a glimpse at how refugees contribute to Iowa’s vitality. Refugees work in essential industries like agriculture, filling significant workforce shortages in other areas like healthcare and manufacturing, start small businesses, and contribute to Iowa’s future success. Their presence strengthens our communities, enriches cultural life, and supports long term economic stability something which is particularly important to the state of Iowa.

These stories reinforce JCUNA's mission: advancing the values of the United Nations by supporting human rights, dignity, and opportunity for all. Through advocacy, education, and collaboration with local partners, we help ensure that Johnson County remains a place where refugees can thrive.

On June 20, World Refugee Day, JCUNA celebrates the resilience of refugees, acknowledges the challenges they face, and reinforces Johnson County as a community where every newcomer is welcomed and valued. Their stories—and the data—show that Iowa is stronger as a result.

Celebrate World Refugee Day at the Third Annual ICFRC Summer Potluck

When: Saturday, 20 June, 4-6pm (World Refugee Day)

Where: Iowa City City Park, Shelter #5 (see map below)

What: Sharing food/drink, conversation, music, community building, and informal introductions to celebrate international organizations, peoples and cultures in our area, sponsored by the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council.

Johnson County Chapter

United Nations Association- USA

308 E. Burlington St, 245, Iowa City, IA 52240

johnsoncountyuna.org

unajohnsoncounty@gmail.com