What does it mean to truly belong in a city?

For us, it means having spaces where communities can gather, create, and shape the places they live in. On January 15th, 2024, Kami Ruang Ketiga hosted Placemaking Fiesta in South Jakarta, Indonesia—a festival that brought together youth, creatives, and local organizations to celebrate public space through collaboration, performance, and dialogue.

In this event, Kami Ruang Ketiga alongside Placemaking Davao and Placemaking Japan, shared our experiences and learnings from promoting placemaking advocacy and leading Tactical Urbanism projects across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan. The goal was simple yet powerful: to raise awareness that placemaking insights can be applied by anyone, in any sector—from grassroots communities to institutions.

The Event showed how placemaking is more than just physical change. It’s about activating public spaces socially—through arts, culture, and shared experiences—so they become meaningful places for everyone.

What Happened at the Fiesta?

🖌️ Workshops and Creative Installations
From writing to interactive community boards, participants were invited to share their thoughts on the space—sparking imagination about how public areas can reflect local identity and culture.

🗣️ Discussions and Knowledge Sharing
Panels and talks explored how youth can lead placemaking, how public spaces can be sustained, and why collaboration between communities, government, and creatives is essential.

🤝 Collaborations Across Communities
Placemaking Fiesta was not just an event, but a meeting point for local communities, cultural groups, and urban enthusiasts who share the same vision: to make cities more inclusive and vibrant.

Why It Mattered

As a youth-led initiative, Kami Ruang Ketiga, through Placemaking Fiesta, highlighted how young people are not only users of public space, but also co-creators and caretakers. By combining art, culture, and community action, the event showed that cities thrive when public spaces are open, shared, and cared for collectively.

We are grateful to all participants, performers, and collaborators who made the day possible. A special thank you goes to Placemaking Davao, Placemaking Japan, and the local community partners who brought energy, creativity, and passion to the event.

Placemaking Fiesta was more than a celebration—it was a step toward reimagining how we live together in the city. And this is just the beginning. Kami Ruang Ketiga will continue to explore creative ways to activate, care for, and reimagine public spaces—together with the communities who use them.

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