The Iowa State International Student Council is presenting its annual International Week beginning this Friday. The week celebrates international diversity, customs and traditions in the ISU community.

Gregorios Siourounis, president of ISC and graduate student in economics, said people should expect to learn many different things from many different cultures during International Week.

“It’s a blessing to be at ISU, which is so diverse and offers us this opportunity,” he said.

International Week kicks off Friday with a dance party in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union from 8 p.m. to midnight. Siourounis said all students are invited to attend, and he encouraged students to bring their own CDs. He said ISC will play music from countries across the world.

The dance is free, and beverages will be provided.

Some other highlights of this year’s International Week include a food festival, a movie night, cultural displays, seminars and a grand finale.

Irene Karantzeni, public relations officer of ISC and graduate student in biochemistry and biophysics, said the celebration helps improve communication within the ISU international community.

“Our main goal is to introduce everybody to the different cultures this university is composed of,” she said.

One way the ISC members hope to accomplish this is through Food Fest, which will be held Sunday from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

Karantzeni said for $2, students can sample food from a variety of countries. The food is prepared by international students.

Siourounis said the Food Fest will feature cuisine from at least 12 different countries, and some of the presenters will also wear the traditional costumes of their nations.

The Grand Finale concludes International Week Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

Siourounis said this event is traditionally one of the most popular events of the week; it features international cultural performances, including songs and dances from many countries.

“The [performances] are usually very spectacular, with beautiful costumes and intense dancing,” Karantzeni said.

On Wednesday, students can examine cultural displays in the Great Hall or attend “Ports of Call” in the Margaret Sloss Women’s Center.

Siourounis said students can partake of snacks and desserts cooked by international students at “Ports of Call” for an entrance fee of 50 cents. The cultural displays will feature art, posters and books from other countries.

Three seminars also will be presented as part of the week’s activities.

On Monday at noon in the Pioneer Room of the union, a seminar on “Immigration Law in the U.S.” will be presented.

“Making Friends: Overcoming Barriers” will be presented on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. in the Gallery Room of the union.

Karantzeni said the third seminar “should be of interest to everyone, not because of our nationalities, but because we are people of the same world.”

The seminar, “Global Economic Crisis,” will be presented on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. in the Oak Room of the Union.

Karantzeni said ISC is hoping to include the entire Ames community in International Week and has invited students from various Ames schools to take part in the cultural displays.

“It’s really important that we have a diverse group participating,” she said.

International Week is funded by the Government of the Student Body.