Ahead of International Children's Day on June 1, RFE/RL editors asked children in their home countries to take photographs of the world as they see it. Sometimes aided by their parents, the young photographers were asked to focus on their friends and families, or on their toys, games, and hobbies. Here is a cross section of a child's-eye view across the region.
The World Through A Child's Eyes
1
Rahimjon Akbarov, a 5-year-old boy from Dushanbe, Tajikistan, took photos of (clockwise from top left) his friends; his younger sister Nozanin, who has chickenpox; toys from a cereal box; and cartoons on TV.
2
Kamila, a 9-year-old Belarusian girl, took pictures of her favorite pets and the landscape in her village.
3
Demijan Catic, a 9-year-old boy from Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, focused on his golden retriever, Bepo; his Harry Potter wand and glasses; a street artist he saw on a visit to Paris; and the Bosnian band Dubioza Kolektiv, rehearsing for a gig at Demijan's father's work.
4
Five-year-old Cosmin from Moldova submitted a self-portrait and a portrait of his 2-year-old brother, Vlaicu, along with two views from his windows.
5
Bohdan, a 9-year-old boy from Ukraine, took photos of his friends Lera and Dasha at the playground; a sand drawing of a sun and a ladybug; his friend Dania posing on a wooden wagon; and his favorite Lego toys.
6
Samrin Khan, 13, was born in Pakistan and lives in the Czech Republic. Samrin took photos of her father riding a bicycle with her two younger brothers; her brother Aimal climbing at a playground; and friends and classmates during a school trip.
7
Turan Imel, 11, took pictures of young friends in a Kyrgyz village: 5-year-old Alina, who lives with her grandmother and takes care of her pet chick with a friend; and 3-year-old Atai-Askar, who likes to see the world through his grandfather's binoculars.
8
Janis Mjartans, 14, photographed the Tian Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan's Ala Archa National Park.
9
Bohdan-Liubomyr Prytula is a 5-year-old from Simferopol, Ukraine. Bohdan took pictures of his friends taking part in the Studio Svitanok children's theater, and of flowers in the city center.
10
Merdan, 11, from Turkmenistan, photographed a children's park in Ashgabat; a building covered with satellite dishes; and his friends buying tickets.
11
Four-year-old Jonas lives in the Czech Republic. He photographed his father chopping wood; his older brother and a friend helping his father; his brother Mathias and a friend; and the stream behind his Uncle George's cottage.