The 5th UN World Data Forum will take place in Medellin, Colombia, from November 12 to 15. An exchange on the topic of data visualization will be held at the Swiss embassy in Colombia in the run-up to the forum.
In the run-up to the UN World Data Forum in Medellin, Colombia, we discuss the current situation and, above all, how we could use and communicate data more effectively at the national and international levels today to meet the current challenges with facts.
In the lead up to the foundation of the modern Swiss state in 1848, a progressive movement champi-oned education, enlightenment and the use of statistics in public policy. A key figure was Switzerland’s first minister for home affairs, Stefano Franscini. He was convinced that statistical surveys and their documentation were important in making good and effective political decisions. In our increasingly da-ta-driven world, it is more important than ever to present data in accessible and easy-to-understand ways. Data visualisation transforms complex data analyses into a visual experience. As the saying goes: a picture is worth a thousand words. But what is good quality data? How do we know we can trust it? Can data visualisation help us to take better decisions, identify economic trends and com-municate more effectively? Given these challenges and the ever-increasing volumes of data and for-mats, institutions do not always succeed in exploiting the benefits. Ultimately, decision-makers need to be able to count on reliable information to make the right decisions at the right time. Data and data visualisation are becoming increasingly important in many fields.
Key note speakers:
- Eric Mayoraz, Swiss Ambassador to Colombia
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs (TBC)
- Benjamin Rothen, Swiss Ambassador for Data and statistics, Federal Statistical Office
Panellists:
- Peter Siegenthaler, Country Manager of Colombia, World Bank;
- Oscar Parra, Coordinador Observatorio de Seguridad, Secretaría de Seguridad y Justicia, Alcaldía de Santiago de Cali;
- Alejandra Fierro, Director of the Red de Ciudades cómo vamos ;
- B. Piedad Urdinola Contreras, Director of National Administrative Department of Statistics Colombia.
Moderation: Philippe Schönrock, director, Centro de Pensamiento Estratégico Internacional (CEPEI)
This event is on an invitation-only basis.
If you have any questions, please contact upd-initiative@bfs.admin.ch