International law on culture was recently strengthened by UNESCO’s adoption of the “Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.” This text establishes a link between culture (as a vehicle for transmitting values, meaning and identity) and international cooperation, development and human rights. Implementing the Convention and the essential follow-up activities have become a real challenge. Cultural diversity, which is already a subject of anthropological study, must now become a political concept, and thus be brought into practice. Culture should be considered as a vehicle for political, economic and social life, both at national level and in relationships between different cultural areas. Reflections on “otherness,” on managing acculturation and cultural cohabitation are becoming political issues, and in order to manage the relationships between culture, communication, society and politics, specific and appropriate theories need to be constructed.