An Action Plan for People, Planet and Prosperity: The Critical Approach to the Sustainable Development Goals and Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development generates a theoretical discussion floor and a roadmap regarding UNESCO conventions in culture-related disciplines. This text, which foresees a paradigm shift in development strategies, has come to the agenda of many different institutions. Although the concept of culture is weak within the development texts, it has been the subject of cultural studies for the first time. Therefore, it is significant to value all actors interrelated and identify the gaps in the big picture. First of all this article discusses the historical background of the sustainable development issue and then evaluates the relationship with UNESCO’s Convention on the Conservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage critically, which has established a substantial theoretical basis for the safeguardingcentered theories of heritage studies. The concern of this article is the historical development of sustainable development regarding the concept of cultural heritage, followed by United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SKH) and intangible cultural heritage relations. Accordingly, the connection between sustainable development and the concept of cultural heritage questioned, and subsequently, zothe relationship between the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and intangible cultural heritage discussed. The link between the goals such as goal 4 (quality education for all) and goal 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and the fields of top priority and intangible cultural heritage has been examined with examples considering ethical principles. Firstly, the orientation process of the Convention with the sustainable development goals has been interpreted. On the other hand, the sustainable development goals have been evaluated together with the Convention’s focus on ethical principles and participation. The relation between intangible cultural heritage and sustainable development is of importance in the context of inclusion of community participation, transmission to next generations and cultural heritage’s forming an ethical basis for development as well. At first glance, it can be seen that among 17 sustainable development goals, there is no title directly linked to culture, but it is evident that culture is at the heart of the goals.