Third World Statistics Day, 20 October 2020 3rd World Statistics Day on 20th October: reliable and high quality results to meet the challenges of our time
15.10.2020 - 20th October 2020 will welcome the Third World Statistics Day with the motto “Connecting the world with data we can trust”. For the United Nations, it is an opportunity to highlight the importance of high quality statistics in meeting the challenges of our time. Switzerland participates in this global effort as a member of various international organisations, particularly with regard to sustainable development.
By delivering its data to the United Nations or the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and by participating in the European Statistical System, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) helps to connect various statistical systems from all around the world in order to obtain reliable and transparent results concerning the most important topics of the moment.
“Current, reliable, timely and trusted data are necessary to understand the changing world in which we live. Statistics are critical for evidence-based policymaking across all sectors and all societies, regardless of cultural and historical backgrounds or level of development”, stresses António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General in his message marking the occasion of this day.
Data more valuable than gold
High quality data produced following a transparent methodology are more important than gold today according to Georges-Simon Ulrich, Director of the FSO. Data are often compared to gold or petrol. In contrast with limited raw materials, the amount of data is constantly increasing. The more you use data, the more valuable data becomes," he highlights in a recent article.
In the field of sustainable development, the results produced by official statistics are particularly valuable. They provide a measure of the extent to which the goals set out in the 2030 Agenda are on track for completion.
17 video clips each lasting 17 seconds
On the occasion of the United Nations World Forum in Switzerland (UNWDF) on data in 2021 (postponed by one year due to Covid-19), members of staff at the FSO wanted to draw the attention of the general public to this topic, in particular to social networks.
A series of 17 video clips each lasting 17 seconds will therefore be disseminated until Christmas to high-light 17 key figures among the thousands of others available on the FSO website’s dedicated pages. The Road to Bern programme has been extended and will offer public events throughout 2021 to prepare for UNWDF2021 and to discuss current issues.
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Third World Statistics Day, 20 October 2020
