The mission of the United Nations Association (UNA) is to support the humanitarian, peacekeeping, and diplomatic work of the United Nations. We educate the public about the United Nations and advocate for governmental and individual funding that enables its work.  UNA is a nonprofit organization separate from the United Nations itself.

The Johnson County United Nations Association (JCUNA) is a chapter of the United Nations Association of the United States (UNAUSA).  JCUNA is one of three chapters of UNAUSA in the state of Iowa.  The other two are Linn County UNA and Cedar Valley UNA. Other parts of Iowa not within the territory of these three chapters are served by the Iowa Division of UNA (IAUNA). The presidents of the Iowa chapters serve on the board of IAUNA to facilitate a coordinated effort across the state in support of the United Nations.

Founded in 1945 at the close of World War II, the United Nations has evolved to meet the needs of a changing world but remains true to its first principles spelled out in its charter and the subsequent Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The framework for much of the current work of the UN is the 17 Sustainable Development Goals  (www.sdgs.un.org/goals ). The United Nations is home to such well known agencies as UNICEF, WFP (the World Food Program), WHO (the World Health Organization), and UNHCR (the UN agency for refugees) but also to others equally crucial. To understand the organization and work of the United Nations, we recommend you go to www.un.org/en/about-us , the UN website in English.  It is also available in other languages. Download the UN News app to follow global events you may have missed.

 UNAUSA supports its chapters through its small but mighty national staff.  The staff facilitates a monthly leadership meeting on-line and, with the organization’s elected National Council, leads an annual in person June leadership summit then lobby day in Washington D.C. as well as an annual February conference at the UN headquarters in New York City.   The advocacy work is facilitated by UNAUSA’s partner, The Better World Foundation. UNAUSA offers support for community and college chapters, model UN programs for high school and college students, affinity groups for members to follow their passions with like-minded members, and a host of other ways for young and old to serve the United Nations and thus to join with others around the world in supporting humanitarian aid, peacekeeping, and diplomatic platforms for a host of global challenges from hunger to war to climate change.  Explore www.unausa.org  to learn more. 

Note: JCUNA membership dues are first submitted to UNAUSA.  See www.unsua.org/join/ . UNAUSA shares membership dues with its community chapters; one-half of each membership payment from our Johnson County members is returned to JCUNA.