An Austrian Cultural Forum is an agency of the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, whose task consists of the cultural and scientific dialogue with artists and scientists of each particular host country. A Cultural forum focuses on the specific needs of local users and partners, and works independently on different contents. The international network currently consists of 30 cultural forums. (originally established as either a "cultural institute" or a "cultural department of an Austrian embassy",which, in March 2001, were both renamed as "cultural forum")