Following the Government’s announcement there is no longer any quarantine to enter China for travelers whose health declaration and entry inspection produce normal results, we have decided to hold the Forum in Hangzhou, China during the agreed dates 24 to 27 April 2023.

It is strongly recommended that participants wear a protective mask during their attendance at the Forum venue and comply with the on-site pandemic prevention and management requirements. Medical services will be available at the conference venue with thermometers, disinfectant, antigen testing kits and emergency medicines. Please contact the staff on the site immediately if not feeling well.

The UN Department of Safety and Security will be working closely with the host country to ensure that the conference facilities are safe and secure for all participants.

The registration to travel and participate in-person at the venue is open until Wednesday, 8 March. The registration to attend as a virtual participant and to access the online event platform will open in early April.

We encourage all participants intending to travel to register as soon as possible to ensure a smooth process for obtaining a visa and your other travel arrangements. If you are still not able to register on time, we will approve registration past the deadline on a case-by-case basis. Please contact dataforum@un.org if you are in this position.

The registration to attend as a virtual participant and to access the online event platform will open in early April. The Forum will launch in April an online event platform accessible through a web browser or smartphone app to live stream high-level plenaries and most sessions as well as better organise the content and interactions for all participants.

We are in process of reviewing the registrations and we will let the registrants know their status via email soonest.

Please consult the logistics and travel information page for information on visa exemptions. All participants intending to travel must first register through the INDICO system, please consult the registration instructions for further information on this. An email/ letter will be provided by the host country once your registration is approved. This will provide further instructions on how to obtain your visa.

As charge regulation may vary across different embassies and consulates, our hosts will follow up on requests for fee waivers on a case by case basis. Please contact unwdf2023@163.com and copy dataforum@un.org if you have any further enquiries on this or encounter any issues.

The Forum will launch in April an online event platform accessible through a web browser or smartphone app to live stream high-level plenaries and most sessions as well as better organise the content and interactions for all participants. Recordings of past sessions can also be found on the platform and through the playlists on our YoutTube channel.

The UN secretariat have limited funds available for funding those involved in the programme as well as general participants. This is usually provided thanks to the support by the host country and other partners. Those wishing to apply are welcome to email: dataforum@un.org and your request will be considered among other requests we receive as funds are decided.

On the programme, there is a distinction only between “fully virtual” and “in-person” events since there is a grey area between being “in-person” and “hybrid”. Depending on the number of speakers who appear at the venue in-person, it will be shown as an “in-person” event for the programme purposes otherwise we would designate it “fully virtual”. As the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on travel lessens, we are encouraging most of the programme to be “in-person” but “fully virtual” sessions will still take place.

Both the conference venue and the online event platform will be made accessible to persons with disabilities. In-person, the venue hotel and transport vehicles will be equipped with disability access and a team of volunteers will be available to provide assistance whereas virtually, the online event platform will be tested to ensure it meets accessibility requirements.

Additionally, the Forum will launch in April an online event platform accessible through a web browser or smartphone app to live stream high-level plenaries and most sessions as well as better organise the content and interactions for all participants. This also allows speakers to connect to their session remotely. If you have accessibility issues with the event platform please contact dataforum@un.org.

The Forum will launch in April an online event platform accessible through a web browser or smartphone app to live stream high-level plenaries and most sessions as well as better organise the content and interactions for all participants. This also allows speakers to connect to their session remotely. If you have accessibility issues with the event platform please contact dataforum@un.org.

Given the mandate of the National Statistical Division and the generous contribution from the host country, the Programme Committee will ensure regional distribution of underrepresented groups and participants from the global South. The Programme Committee will also make efforts to link sponsorships and partnerships with other donors to ensure the participation. However, there are no funds that are specifically allocated to these groups as of now.

Thanks to the generous support from the host country, lunch and dinner will be provided at the venue. Coffee break also will be provided in the morning and in the afternoon, with pastries and beverages.

The call for programme proposals was completed over the summer 2022. The Programme Committee sifted through over 400 proposals to select the 80+ sessions on the programme. Since the programme is now finalised, if you are interested to connect with the organisers of a session to pursue a potential speaking opportunity, please consult the online event platform when it is launched or email dataforum@un.org.

The Forum serves as a space for all participants to propose, present, launch or share their work with a larger audience. As the Forum is not a formal inter-governmental process, there will be no side events or plenary.

The selection of the Programme Committee is made by the High-Level Group for Partnership, Coordination and Capacity-Building for Statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (HLG-PCCB). More information on the HLG-PCCB can be found on the Forum website here.

The proposal should address an important issue or actions that should be made known to an international audience aligned to the thematic areas. Additionally, the proposal should also highlight how problems can be solved through innovative and collaborative approaches. An attractive proposal should be applicable to a broad community by offering creative formats, integrative partnerships and practical solutions.

There are opportunities in the programme to focus on some regional and national issues, but it is important to note that the Forum is followed by an international and very diverse audience representing different communities.

Yes, more than one proposal can be submitted as long as the content proposed is substantively different.

The Programme Committee encourages participants to put forward proposals which contain a good mix of different regional and data community perspectives as applicable. The Committee will attempt to balance these aspects across the programme.

Yes, proposals on data and statistical literacy are very important areas and are welcome to be presented at the Forum as long as they are aligned to the thematic areas.

If the proposal presented is based on a single organisation covering the presenter’s own work, the Programme Committee recommends a submitting proposal for the “Shortened session: Ignite/lightning talks” format or the three special formats (i.e., announcement, training or demonstration).

Three types of special format namely announcements, demonstrations and learning labs have been introduced this year to allow for more creative ideas and sharing of solutions on data and statistics. The Programme Committee will be working closely with the host country to develop and curate a space to ensure that the sharing of creative ideas is presented in the most engaging way (cost permitting).

No, the selection criteria will be objectively based on the proposal contents and balance in terms of topics, formats and speaker representation across the programme.

The Call for Programme Proposals is aimed at providing the content for the parallel events.

The next Forum is a space to discuss with special communities, private and research institutions. The Forum community should be sustainable, and the information shared should trickle down to various communities. Some special sessions like ministerial-level forum, youth forum and entrepreneurs forum are under planning to enrich the coverage and attractiveness of the Forum. Moreover, this year we will have “Learning” and “Demonstration” sessions for those participating in-person.

They can submit any related communication material to the following email address: dataforum@un.org.

The hashtags used for the forthcoming Forum are: #undataforum, #betterdata, #SDGs, #datainnovation #datapartnerships

The Forum will launch in April an online event platform accessible through a web browser or smartphone app to live stream high-level plenaries and most sessions as well as better organise the content and interactions for all participants. Recordings of past sessions can also be found on the platform and through the playlists on our YoutTube channel.

Yes, this will be available through the online event platform when it is launched in April.

The Forum team will continue to update the website with the latest information.