The Cornell International Students Programming Board is having a party, and everyone's invited. April 4 through 20, students will host an "International Festival" celebrating Cornell's cultural diversity. Currently, that diversity translates to 2,609 international students (13 percent of the student body) and more than 80 international student clubs, ranging from the African Students Association to Young Italy.

This year's festival has the theme "The Global Mosaic" and will include an international exhibition, food tasting, flag painting and global soccer tournament. A highlight will be a public lecture by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Nations, on Thursday, April 4, at 8 p.m. in Alumni Auditorium of Kennedy Hall.

Anyaoku became secretary-general in 1990 and is serving a second term as leader of the London-based Commonwealth, an intergovernmental organization promoting peace, economic growth and sustainability of natural resources throughout the world. It represents 53 former British colonies, or about a quarter of the world's population. (The United States is not a member.)

Anyaoku, a native of Nigeria, held several positions in the Nigerian government in the early 1960s after that country gained independence. His previous posts with the Commonwealth included assistant director of international affairs, director, assistant secretary-general and deputy secretary-general.

His accomplishments include coordinating the drafting of the Southern Africa Accord, which helped end apartheid, and radically restructuring the Commonwealth. He has served on the International Board of the United World Colleges and as a trustee of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. He holds honorary degrees from 13 universities.

During his two-day visit to Cornell, Anyaoku is scheduled to meet with international student groups and visit Cornell's Institute for African Development, Einaudi Center for International Studies and Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development.

Other events at the Cornell International Festival will include:

• Thursday, April 4: Flag painting, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Big Red Barn
• Saturday, April 6: Global soccer tournament, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Alumni Fields
• Monday, April 8: International Exhibition, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Willard Straight Hall Memorial Room
• Thursday, April 11: Dance debut, 8-10:30 p.m., Statler Auditorium
• Saturday, April 13: Global soccer tournament, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Alumni Fields
• Friday, April 19: Food tasting, 7-8:30 p.m., One World Room, Anabel Taylor Hall
• Saturday, April 20: Symposium on international development, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Warren Hall, Room 45.

Throughout the festival, Cornell Cinema will screen international films, and Cornell Dining will feature international menus in the dining halls.

According to Mythili K. Rundblad, international programs coordinator in the International Students and Scholars Office and adviser to the International Students Programming Board, the festival is designed to bring together Cornell's international and multicultural student associations and enhance understanding and awareness of the many cultures represented on campus.

Teck Hean Wong, International Students Programming Board president, said Cornell students have organized international festivals for approximately the past 25 years.

"We recognize that the relationship between national and international students at Cornell is still not as strong as it should be; we hope that this festival will strengthen that relationship," he said.