Medellín is preparing to host the Fifth Edition of the United Nations World Data Forum.
Medellín is preparing to host the Fifth Edition of the United Nations World Data Forum.
Friday, July 30 2024
The "City of Eternal Spring" becomes the first city in Latin America to host the prestigious United Nations World Data Forum, marking an unprecedented moment in the drive towards innovation and sustainable development through statistics and data.
The Fifth Edition of the United Nations World Data Forum will be held in Medellín, Colombia, from November 12 to 15, 2024, at Plaza Mayor - Convention and Exhibition center. Approximately 3,000 participants from various countries and sectors are expected to participate, including national statistical offices, the private sector, academia, civil society organizations, and international agencies.
Recognized globally as a crucial space for exchanging experiences in the field of statistics and data, this event aims to drive innovation, foster strategic partnerships, mobilize political and financial support, and build a path to stronger data for sustainable development.
"We will host the V World Data Forum. It is a great event that takes place worldwide in which not only the national statistical offices are convened, that is, the DANE of the world, but also actors belonging to the entire production ecosystem and users of public and private information. Today statistics are very important for public and private decision-making. This will be a great space where that intersection will take place”, said Piedad Urdinola Contreras, director of DANE.
The first edition of the World Data Forum (UNWDF) took place in 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa and in 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A virtual event was held in 2020, due to the pandemic, and in 2021 a hybrid event was held in Bern, Switzerland.
Medellín will now host this event, recognizing its ongoing work and efforts in promoting innovation, sustainable development and international collaboration. "We are going to attract the whole world to talk about data from Medellín, as an innovative city, and that is why we apply with this city as our headquarters," said Piedad Urdinola Contreras, director of DANE.
From its beginning in Cape Town, 2017 to the latest edition in Hangzhou, 2023, the Forum has made a significant mark on the global statistical community. Documents resulting from previous editions of the Forum, such as the Cape Town Global Action Plan, have marked important milestones, setting out priority lines and funding mechanisms to strengthen the role of data for sustainable development.
In its fifth edition, the World Data Forum will have four thematic lines that focus on promoting innovation and partnerships to achieve more inclusive data, maximizing the use and value of data for effective decision-making, establishing trust and ethics in the use of data, and fostering new trends and partnerships to strengthen the data ecosystem. These areas reflect a shared commitment to continuous improvement of data quality and accessibility, as well as promoting transparency and accountability in its use for advancing the global sustainable development agenda.
The Fifth United Nations World Data Forum is envisioned as the ideal platform to position national and local priorities and agendas. Organizers will integrate these priorities into regional and global development frameworks, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
For more information about the United Nations World Data Forum, write here
