The annual International Fair, highlighted this year by a week of events instead of just one day, kicks off with a speech tonight by a prominent member of the United Nations staff.

Continuing the University's emphasis on diversity, the International Student Council and the Office of International Students are co-sponsoring the festival, at which several thousand people are expected to attend.

"If anyone is interested in experiencing the world first hand, this is the way to do so," said ISC President Abbas Aminmansour. "It's as close as one can get to the world in State College."

The event expanded this year because of additional funds and more help in planning.

The week-long event will begin with tonight's speech presented by Viktor Mikailovich Sukhodrev, the special assistant to the United Nation's secretary general.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Sukhodrev has been a translator to former Soviet heads of state since 1956. He has also attended all Soviet-American summits for the past 30 years. The Malta Summit in December between U.S. President Bush and Soviet President Mikail Gorbachev was the first superpower meeting he did not attend.

"I feel good about a speaker of this quality," said OIS Director Jim Lynch, who is also ISC's adviser. Maureen Costello, an OIS staff assistant and ISC co-adviser has helped Aminmansour organize the fair, Lynch added.

"I'm optimistic that it will be a success," said Lynch.

-- The festival begins with a speech, "The United Nations in a Changing World," presented by Viktor Sukhodrev at 7:30 tonight in 112 Kern Building.

-- "Economics of Drugs from a Latin American Perspective" is a presentation by Stephen Smith, a professor of agricultural economics at Penn State. The speech, sponsored by the Latin American Students Association, will be held at 7:30 Wednesday night in the HUB Assembly Room

-- The Chinese Student Association is showing the film Dust in the Wind at 8 Thursday night in the Forum Building. The film will be shown in English.

-- Entertainment from around the world will be featured in the International Coffee House program sponsored by the ISC, the OIS and the Graduate Student Association. It will be held at 7:30 Friday night in 101 and 102 Kern.

-- The Friends of India will sponsor music from India at 7 Saturday night 102 Kern.

-- The week will end with the International Fair.. The event will run from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday in the HUB and includes a food sale, arts and crafts, cultural exhibits and children's games from around the world.