The Soviets have arrived.

The teacher, a city council member, a youth worker and a philosophy professor were guest speakers at a brown bag luncheon Tuedsay at NIU.

The visiting women, all from Volgograd, are Natalia Dubinina, professional in teacher education, city council member Irina Ermolaeva, Tatiana Kandairova, who works for the official Soviet youth organization KOMSOL, and Elvira Valandina, a philosophy professor.

The public was invited to the program sponsored by United Campus Ministries, at 415 Normal Road.

The women are part of a larger delegation of 16 visiting as part of a citizen diplomacy initiative. The others are visiting other parts of the U.S.

Rev. Eric Dale, NIU campus ministries director, reports that the personal contacts evolved from a youth exchange sponsored by a Chicago pastor and a church in Berlin.

The people in the groups visit each others’ cities. It is an opportunity for personal exchange and to promote peace, as well as an attempt at student, business, and cultural exchanges, he said.

They hope also to make a university exchange between NIU and colleges in Volgograd.

As part of the visit, there will be a ceremony unveiling a peace post Wednesday at noon at the United Campus Ministries, 532 College Avenue. The women will be visiting until Oct. 25.