The IU will conduct a review of national legislation and development plans and consult  with relevant stakeholders to identify opportunities and develop local strategies to integrate culture and cultural heritage in development.  The process will be guided by UNESCO conventions on protection of cultural heritage (1972, 2003) and on protection and promotion of diversity of cultural expression.

Cultural change goes hand in hand with economic change. As Vietnam is a fast developing  country and will soon become a  Middle Income Country, there  needs to be a comprehensive and  long-term strategy for culture to ensure that the benefits of economic growth are shared widely in society and that growth in the present does not bring negative impacts on future generations. Built on extensive consultations with UN agencies and different ministries, the strategy on culture will identify a number of areas that Vietnam needs to focus on in the years to come.

National development strategies

The proposed project will identify  areas into which culture and national development cultural heritage can be mainstreamed in order to ensure  that the development efforts are implemented in a culturally appropriate manner. Therefore,  the proposed project responds closely to Goal 12 of the current SEDP (2006-2010), which aims "toheighten cultural essence in all  economic, political, social and daily ife of the people" as well as "to consider cultural development as the core of human development."

International treaty obligations

The IU will be guided by a number of international agreements ratified by Vietnam:

· International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR),

· Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972),

· Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003),

-Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005).

The IU will review Vietnam's implementation of these obligations and develop strategy for integrating culture into national development plans.