As members of the Board of Directors of
UNA-USA, IOWA DIVISION

and in keeping with the world wide Franciscan desire for peacemaking, reverence for all creation, solidarity with the poor, and active nonviolence, the Sisters of St. Francis peace and justice program included the following activities during the past quarter:

1. Supporting and participating in the work of Franciscans International.

2. Working for enactment of international debt reduction legislation by participating in the Bread For The World Offering of Letters campaign.

3. Partnering with the 12 other congregations of Catholic sisters based in Iowa, western Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin to sponsor 17 billboards across the state of Iowa encouraging Iowans to welcome immigrants. The project was awarded a recognition grant by the NCCB.

4. Supporting the work of INFACT to draw attention to the practices of tobacco producers in marketing tobacco products worldwide.

5. Lobbying, via postcards from sisters, associates, friends and co-workers nationwide in support of:

• The Kyoto Protocol.
  The UN "Ban Landmines" treaty.

• Legislation to improve national and international distribution of the free drugs needed to control health hazards.

• An end to use of the death penalty.

• CEDAW and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

• Ending the Iraq embargo.

• Stopping the war in Afghanistan.

• Ending nuclear testing and proliferation of nuclear weapons systems.

• NO WAR IN IRAQ!

The Sisters of St. Francis have been members of the Board of Directors of the Iowa Division of the United Nations Association-UNA since Clinton Franciscan Elizabeth Cameron was first seated in 1986. Elizabeth originated the idea of a Franciscan presence at the UN and with the help of Dr. Robert Muller, then undersecretary general, brought the idea to the Franciscan Federation and then to the world.

Disandra Merisier, a Mount St. Clare College student from Grand Bahama Island, prepares to raise a United Nations flag at the Clinton Memorial on Riverfront Drive Friday during the commemoration of United Nations Day sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis.

Her Honor,  LaMetta Wynn, Mayor of Clinton, and Marilyn Huegerich osf, former president of the Clinton Franciscans, at the proclamation of UN Day 2002 in Clinton at the Veterans Memorial on River Drive.

The multi-cultural "Stop the Hate" walk and prayer vigil co-sponsored by the congregation and local schools draws hundreds to Clinton colleges to support understanding and tolerance.