In New York, an elevated railroad is called the High Line, which was built to deliver cargo.

It was constructed in the 1930s, and has been neglected for more than 20 years since its last operation in 1980; unfortunately, it has become a crime-ridden district full of weeds and garbage. Nearby building owners and real estate developers attempted to demolish it, and a demolition order was once issued; it was considered a long-standing problem in the area.

However, citizens recognized the value of the High Line, which became a wild garden with flowers and trees growing on top of the old structure, and eventually, the public and private sectors cooperated to create a beautiful park in the city center.

The High Line has become a public place that everyone wants to stay long. It has become a famous New York attraction that more than 5 million people visit every year.

The change of High Line began with only two citizens under the name: Friends of High Line.

Small changes initiated by citizens have created a priceless space for all citizens.

This place is for everyone and always needs a guardian, and every citizen who lives in the city must be the guardian.

On July 31, 2022, university students in Huancayo, Peru, volunteered to restore an abandoned park to provide a public place for children.

They transformed the abandoned place into a place for children by cleaning the park and planting trees on it.

Jhovana Cárdenas López, the Head of City Parks and Gardens of the Provincial Municipality of Huanta, expressed her gratitude to the university students for their initiative. She thanked them for paying attention to the abandoned park that everyone had forgotten.

Emphasizing the importance of each place in the community, she said, “As we know, in childhood it is very important to have fun, so we must provide a comfortable and safe place where they can spend pleasant moments.”

Erica Yasury Lozano Suarez, a student at the San Cristóbal of Huamanga National University, said, “I feel very happy to be able to contribute to the residents through this activity. I hope that children will have a good time here and grow up healthy with bright dreams.”

Residents complimented the students and were delighted that many children would have their happy space.

A public place has power.

It builds the impression of the community and becomes one of the important reasons for people to decide whether to stay longer in that city.

Additionally, the characteristics of each place create feelings that citizens feel about the place.

When citizens who are tired of hard lives know and remember that there are places where they can stay, they feel a sense of belonging to the city and come to love the city a bit more.

This is why we pay attention to the activities of ASEZ who will protect public places by becoming the guardians of their cities around the world.