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Italian Photographer Shows What Childhood Looks Like In Different Corners Of The World (30 Pics)
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Italian photographer Massimo Bietti travels the world capturing breathtaking photos along the way. His trademark is incredible portraits of people from the most distant corners of the globe and each tells a story about their lives. We collected a gallery of kids' portraits that reveal what childhood looks like in different parts of the world. Bietti explored countries from Russia, Norway, and India to Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Vanuatu, and many more to find these unforgettable faces and present an honest cross-cultural perspective on childhood.
Scroll down to meet these kids and get an unfiltered glimpse of what their everyday life looks like, including contrasts and similarities!
More info: Instagram
This post may include affiliate links.
We've all gone or are still going through childhood, but what these photos capture might not seem relatable. This occurs because, unfortunately, a so-called 'normal' childhood depends on where you live. In many parts of the world, children are still robbed of their childhood due to poverty, health issues, lack of education, child labor, early marriage, or violence despite many affected countries have set the well-being of their children and their brighter future as the highest priority.
According to the annual Global Childhood Report 2019, children of today have "a better chance than at any time in history to grow up healthy, educated and protected, with the opportunity to reach their full potential." 280 million children are better off today than they would have been in 2000, as the number of suffering children was reduced from an estimated 970 million to 690 million thanks to success stories of many countries that have made remarkable progress in improving children's lives. But there are still 280 million changes to be made!
If you enjoyed these children's photos, you might also like similar articles on Bored Panda where we highlight other utterly talented photographers who choose to document children around the world. We have recently featured a wholesome story about Bangladeshi photographer GMB Akash, who turned the lives of working kids in Bangladesh upside down by sending them to school and taking full financial responsibility for their education. He captured their transformation in powerful before and after photos.
Another Italian photographer, Gabriele Galimberti, has been visiting children around the globe to capture their portraits with their most valuable toys to illustrate that all kids find their way to play despite their diverse backgrounds and conditions. Photographer Gregg Segal shot a photo series of what kids from different cultures eat in one week and English-born photographer James Mollison photographed where kids sleep.
Madagascar
Russia
Cambodia
Myanmar
This little boy’s robe indicates he is doing his monk training, as all Buddhist boys will at some point in their lives. Myanmar is a poor but beautiful country.
Papua New Guinea
It looks that this child's head dress is made of leaves instead of the birds of paradise feathers of which are traditionally used and thus making them dangerously close to extinction. I hope that this is true.
Ethiopia
Note: this post originally had 100 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
While the photos are looking great, seeing that ~90% of them are from like 6 different countries, I don't really think the term 'worldwide' is justified.
I've noticed on BP that whenever mostly POC from diverse countries are featured in a post, it's "not representative enough," but if the people featured are mostly European nobody bats an eyelash. I'm not saying European people shouldn't be featured, but y'alls racism is showing. You can't even appreciate ONE post with beautiful children without complaining
You’ve found racism where none existed. Well down woke people divider. Toxic. And unnecessary
Sandi toksvig good
leah-davcheva what
Sandi toksvig easy
ironweasel97 good
taylor-anthony like
I think you're being biased and unfair. If this post was called Children Around the World and the photographer would have featured mostly children from 6 european countries, people would react the same way as Csaba did here. this post is not called Beautiful Children Portraits, this is called Children Portraits Around the *World*, and a lot of the same countries repeat themselves, even though the world has 200 hundred countries, you know? The issue Csaba is talking about isn't about the number of races represented, but the number of countries and continents represented, because that's the most relevant factor when talking about "worldwide", wouldn't you agree?
People definitely complain just as much if only a small number of places are represented, regardless of where those few places are in the world. They may be mostly from 6 countries, but those 6 are pretty 'around the world'
It seems you are on a warpath here. By your other defended comments through this post I guess this reply just was inevitable. Perhaps Csaba Hegedüs means that it would have been nice to see more from more countries because that was kind of what the heading of this post promised. Cool of and lay down the racism spear. You interpret CH words wrong.
Y’all’s pretty sensitive to it. Just enjoyed beautiful kids pics.
William Mahoney +
camillegraves like
MyMyMySharona ?
camillegraves lol
MyMyMySharona lol
camillegraves like
stop calling us poc we are humans like everyone else
Ojberretta Berretta easy
MyMyMySharona no
Notice all photos from Africa and certain parts of Asia are all tribal kids (read: from poor and undeveloped regions) . None from more modern parts of the continents. Selective biases?
Not to mention that only 1 fully European country was shown and that, IIRC, all other countries are from (part) Asia and Africa..Not really all over the world.
They only showed Norway because that was a Sami child if I'm not mistaken and that's pretty much the only recognized indigenous group in Europe. But they should've said it was a project focusing on native peoples in the title
MyMyMySharona, I really don't care that it's only these kids, they're beautiful pictures. Just don't call it 'all over the world' if it's literally not the case. Just say 'the east' and leave out that 1 European country..
@mymymysharona, it's a comment about the title, not about the beautiful pictures. Your reactions are over the top and you create problems that aren't there. If you go to a museum with wonderful self portraits, but outside it says it's an exhibition of ships, commenting about that description says zero about what a person thinks of the exhibition itself. You. Are. Mad.
The definition of indigenous group is on my honest opinion bit more blurry here in Scandinavia at least what comes to the nativity, than in the many other parts of the world. It's true that Sami people have kept their culture as intact as possible and forms their original culture and could rightly considered as indigenous pepole. But then, most of the rest of the finns are at least as native to the southern parts of the country while our original culture is pretty must lost to the history and replaced with church and central european influence. We both belong to the same Finno-Ugric goup of people, both languages are original and belongin the same family of languages, our ancestors have arrived to the shores somewhere between year 1000 b.c and year 0, actual details are not written in the history..
@MyMyMySharona yes I understand that they're children like any other child regardless of heritage, but tribal/indigenous children and their cultures are so much more interesting than us boring ass westerners, so in my opinion, being able to capture the beauty of an indigenous culture is fkn amazing and it deserves its own list. Not saying that they cant be included with western kids bc that's just wrong but tribal peoples are special in a unique way
So? Europeans make up less than 10% of the world's population but make up a great percentage of global media. You'll live. European kids are just as cute but just didnt appear in photographs by this ONE artist. Get over it. You're a psychopath if you can't just let your guard down and appreciate how adorable they are.
@dandelion moon Indigenous children are normal children. Why do you need to distinguish that they're indigenous? They belong in this world just like everyone else. Don't be ridiculous.
I guess the photographer thought a, say, Ethiopian kid from a big city, wearing a t-shirt and Nikes, wouldn't be as ... interesting.
The whole thing is about indigenous people..what your racist ass calls "tribal"...so yeah stfu
it really isn't, because in the title it stated "children portraits around the world". never once mentioned the world indigenous-
I don't get why this matters. Most of the population of the world is undeveloped. Do people from modern parts of the continents not get enough attention already?
Neither north nor south america are represented, so that's an entire continent missed out. Ditto Australasia. There's plenty of children from developing and/or indigenous cultures and countires on those continents who could have been included. So the complaint that the pictures don't fulfil the description of 'worldwide' is correct.
The issue is not who is on the pictures, the issue is that the text says 'all over the world' when it clearly is not.
frick love
professorx ?
alexaranzola Good response!
jennifer_15 haha
frick haha
bfgezerzmax ?
kokot-erazem ?
These children are not nearly represented enough as it is, imagine complaining about it. I can't believe this is the top comment. Humanity, you disappoint the crap out of me. These children are so beautiful, and that is all that matters here. Shame on you.
Again. You see race in everything. Why is it race? If anything the OP was pointing out about varying wealth within countries. Why have you chosen to focus on skin color when nobody mentioned it? Your I’ll.
This comment has been deleted.
Awesome pics!
beautiful post. kids in nature is awesome. this being said, is there anything else than ice in Russia x)
Yeah, Putin and vodka. One good, one bad. you pick.
Bro, you forgot about Adidas.
hahaha
Forrests maybe?
Interesting idea, but to be blunt, the execution or presentation leaves a little to be desired. If this is a project on indigenous people, say so. If not, cast a wider net. I did love the pictures that were provided.
No, there is nothing to be desired. It's cute kids. Be quiet. Imagine complaining about children, my god.
No one is complaining about the children - quite the opposite. Just that the images provided do not fulfil the stated aim of the project. If it was just labelled as 'lovely photos of children from different cultures' that would be fine. It wasn't.
It would be very interesting if they would be holding their favorite toy.
This article needs a new name. Regardless, the pictures are beautiful.
Great idea but too many pics of the same countries (and kids). :/
🙄
Would you rather have no list at all? Be grateful jesus christ
These images are so beautiful and powerful. Very stunning! And, I hate to say it, but to those who are asking why the images are from only one region, it's probably because all the western and European countries already make up most of the media and photography? Although I agree it should have said in the title if it was a project focusing on native peoples. Regardless, the pictures are beautiful, the children more so! Very adorable!! :D
These are great. I would love to purchase a book of these photos. They remind me of my little one!
What's with the Russian and Norwegian kids in parkas? They have summer there, too. And why are so many of the Africa kids dirty? Just askin'. I'd love to occasionally see a Russian kid with an arm full of flowers, and one or two urban African kids in school uniforms. Just a little diversity would be nice. Not complaining, just wondering why it has to be so "Euro kids are all freezing, African kids are all tribal." Not complaining, but stereotypes are a tad boring. Note to Sharona: don't assume racism if you don't know the motives of the people commenting. Assuming another's motives could be construed as. . .well . . racist.
ps. South America exists. North America exists. So, Worldwide? Nope.
Madagascar has my heart
Bri Nicole love
Bri Nicole good
Bri Nicole +
huttontimothy36 good
I love the diversity I see how even the worst places have cute children who have fun!
Stunning - all of them!
The photos are stunning. However, although they show children in different parts of the world, not all represent childhood very well. The close ups of faces don't give us any information about the child and their childhood. The ones with animals, costumes and toys suceed. The one of the Ethiopian girl wearing a skirt as a dress told us a lot about her life. The close up of the Ethiopian boy with blue eyes told us nothing about his life.
While the photos are looking great, seeing that ~90% of them are from like 6 different countries, I don't really think the term 'worldwide' is justified.
I've noticed on BP that whenever mostly POC from diverse countries are featured in a post, it's "not representative enough," but if the people featured are mostly European nobody bats an eyelash. I'm not saying European people shouldn't be featured, but y'alls racism is showing. You can't even appreciate ONE post with beautiful children without complaining
You’ve found racism where none existed. Well down woke people divider. Toxic. And unnecessary
Sandi toksvig good
leah-davcheva what
Sandi toksvig easy
ironweasel97 good
taylor-anthony like
I think you're being biased and unfair. If this post was called Children Around the World and the photographer would have featured mostly children from 6 european countries, people would react the same way as Csaba did here. this post is not called Beautiful Children Portraits, this is called Children Portraits Around the *World*, and a lot of the same countries repeat themselves, even though the world has 200 hundred countries, you know? The issue Csaba is talking about isn't about the number of races represented, but the number of countries and continents represented, because that's the most relevant factor when talking about "worldwide", wouldn't you agree?
People definitely complain just as much if only a small number of places are represented, regardless of where those few places are in the world. They may be mostly from 6 countries, but those 6 are pretty 'around the world'
It seems you are on a warpath here. By your other defended comments through this post I guess this reply just was inevitable. Perhaps Csaba Hegedüs means that it would have been nice to see more from more countries because that was kind of what the heading of this post promised. Cool of and lay down the racism spear. You interpret CH words wrong.
Y’all’s pretty sensitive to it. Just enjoyed beautiful kids pics.
William Mahoney +
camillegraves like
MyMyMySharona ?
camillegraves lol
MyMyMySharona lol
camillegraves like
stop calling us poc we are humans like everyone else
Ojberretta Berretta easy
MyMyMySharona no
Notice all photos from Africa and certain parts of Asia are all tribal kids (read: from poor and undeveloped regions) . None from more modern parts of the continents. Selective biases?
Not to mention that only 1 fully European country was shown and that, IIRC, all other countries are from (part) Asia and Africa..Not really all over the world.
They only showed Norway because that was a Sami child if I'm not mistaken and that's pretty much the only recognized indigenous group in Europe. But they should've said it was a project focusing on native peoples in the title
MyMyMySharona, I really don't care that it's only these kids, they're beautiful pictures. Just don't call it 'all over the world' if it's literally not the case. Just say 'the east' and leave out that 1 European country..
@mymymysharona, it's a comment about the title, not about the beautiful pictures. Your reactions are over the top and you create problems that aren't there. If you go to a museum with wonderful self portraits, but outside it says it's an exhibition of ships, commenting about that description says zero about what a person thinks of the exhibition itself. You. Are. Mad.
The definition of indigenous group is on my honest opinion bit more blurry here in Scandinavia at least what comes to the nativity, than in the many other parts of the world. It's true that Sami people have kept their culture as intact as possible and forms their original culture and could rightly considered as indigenous pepole. But then, most of the rest of the finns are at least as native to the southern parts of the country while our original culture is pretty must lost to the history and replaced with church and central european influence. We both belong to the same Finno-Ugric goup of people, both languages are original and belongin the same family of languages, our ancestors have arrived to the shores somewhere between year 1000 b.c and year 0, actual details are not written in the history..
@MyMyMySharona yes I understand that they're children like any other child regardless of heritage, but tribal/indigenous children and their cultures are so much more interesting than us boring ass westerners, so in my opinion, being able to capture the beauty of an indigenous culture is fkn amazing and it deserves its own list. Not saying that they cant be included with western kids bc that's just wrong but tribal peoples are special in a unique way
So? Europeans make up less than 10% of the world's population but make up a great percentage of global media. You'll live. European kids are just as cute but just didnt appear in photographs by this ONE artist. Get over it. You're a psychopath if you can't just let your guard down and appreciate how adorable they are.
@dandelion moon Indigenous children are normal children. Why do you need to distinguish that they're indigenous? They belong in this world just like everyone else. Don't be ridiculous.
I guess the photographer thought a, say, Ethiopian kid from a big city, wearing a t-shirt and Nikes, wouldn't be as ... interesting.
The whole thing is about indigenous people..what your racist ass calls "tribal"...so yeah stfu
it really isn't, because in the title it stated "children portraits around the world". never once mentioned the world indigenous-
I don't get why this matters. Most of the population of the world is undeveloped. Do people from modern parts of the continents not get enough attention already?
Neither north nor south america are represented, so that's an entire continent missed out. Ditto Australasia. There's plenty of children from developing and/or indigenous cultures and countires on those continents who could have been included. So the complaint that the pictures don't fulfil the description of 'worldwide' is correct.
The issue is not who is on the pictures, the issue is that the text says 'all over the world' when it clearly is not.
frick love
professorx ?
alexaranzola Good response!
jennifer_15 haha
frick haha
bfgezerzmax ?
kokot-erazem ?
These children are not nearly represented enough as it is, imagine complaining about it. I can't believe this is the top comment. Humanity, you disappoint the crap out of me. These children are so beautiful, and that is all that matters here. Shame on you.
Again. You see race in everything. Why is it race? If anything the OP was pointing out about varying wealth within countries. Why have you chosen to focus on skin color when nobody mentioned it? Your I’ll.
This comment has been deleted.
Awesome pics!
beautiful post. kids in nature is awesome. this being said, is there anything else than ice in Russia x)
Yeah, Putin and vodka. One good, one bad. you pick.
Bro, you forgot about Adidas.
hahaha
Forrests maybe?
Interesting idea, but to be blunt, the execution or presentation leaves a little to be desired. If this is a project on indigenous people, say so. If not, cast a wider net. I did love the pictures that were provided.
No, there is nothing to be desired. It's cute kids. Be quiet. Imagine complaining about children, my god.
No one is complaining about the children - quite the opposite. Just that the images provided do not fulfil the stated aim of the project. If it was just labelled as 'lovely photos of children from different cultures' that would be fine. It wasn't.
It would be very interesting if they would be holding their favorite toy.
This article needs a new name. Regardless, the pictures are beautiful.
Great idea but too many pics of the same countries (and kids). :/
🙄
Would you rather have no list at all? Be grateful jesus christ
These images are so beautiful and powerful. Very stunning! And, I hate to say it, but to those who are asking why the images are from only one region, it's probably because all the western and European countries already make up most of the media and photography? Although I agree it should have said in the title if it was a project focusing on native peoples. Regardless, the pictures are beautiful, the children more so! Very adorable!! :D
These are great. I would love to purchase a book of these photos. They remind me of my little one!
What's with the Russian and Norwegian kids in parkas? They have summer there, too. And why are so many of the Africa kids dirty? Just askin'. I'd love to occasionally see a Russian kid with an arm full of flowers, and one or two urban African kids in school uniforms. Just a little diversity would be nice. Not complaining, just wondering why it has to be so "Euro kids are all freezing, African kids are all tribal." Not complaining, but stereotypes are a tad boring. Note to Sharona: don't assume racism if you don't know the motives of the people commenting. Assuming another's motives could be construed as. . .well . . racist.
ps. South America exists. North America exists. So, Worldwide? Nope.
Madagascar has my heart
Bri Nicole love
Bri Nicole good
Bri Nicole +
huttontimothy36 good
I love the diversity I see how even the worst places have cute children who have fun!
Stunning - all of them!
The photos are stunning. However, although they show children in different parts of the world, not all represent childhood very well. The close ups of faces don't give us any information about the child and their childhood. The ones with animals, costumes and toys suceed. The one of the Ethiopian girl wearing a skirt as a dress told us a lot about her life. The close up of the Ethiopian boy with blue eyes told us nothing about his life.