Heritage in the Context of <scp>SDGs</scp> : From Contradictory Preservation to Heritage as a Driver of Sustainable Development

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the role of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing the shift from a passive preservation perspective to an active approach that sees heritage as a driver of sustainable development. Through a literature review of international sources and case studies in Vietnam, the article clarifies how heritage contributes to the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, as well as the challenges in the context of climate change, urbanization, and globalization. The research results show that integrating heritage into development strategies can bring many opportunities: heritage becomes an endogenous resource for economic growth (through sustainable tourism and cultural industries), enhances social welfare (community cohesion, education, and gender equality), and supports environmental protection. However, the article also points out the dual nature: if exploited unsustainably, it can overload and threaten the heritage itself. Based on a comparison with international experience, the author proposes the need for a more integrated policy framework, for example, recognizing culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable development, along with empowering and mobilizing the participation of local communities to transform heritage into a real driving force for a sustainable future. The article's original contribution lies in specifying the governance conditions under which heritage can become a socially just development driver in Vietnam: comparative case evidence, differentiated SDG linkages across heritage types, and a policy framework centered on community agency, benefit‐sharing, carrying‐capacity control, and adaptive governance.