Central to the operations of the Department of Culture and Youth, is the recognition for the need to create a healthy social and cultural environment for effective national development. The Department's tasks are inter alia: the preservation and promotion of national culture as necessary for nation building; socio-economic development and the creation of a vibrant democracy and a rich human environment; the promotion of the status of the youth of Botswana and creation of an environment conducive to their participation in the economic, social and political life of their society serving as the national focal point for policy, operational direction and coordination for all international, national, district and local cultural and youth programmes; the provision professional guidance on matters relating to policy, training human resources and infrastructural development in the area of arts, culture and youth development.