On 20 October 2025, the world will mark World Statistics Day under the theme ‘Driving change with quality statistics and data for everyone’—with a first-ever 24-hour global webinar marathon uniting voices, stories and innovations from every corner of the globe.
From Bangkok to Beirut, Addis Ababa to Geneva, Santiago to New York, we’ll move with the sun, passing the virtual baton across time zones, showcasing how data is powering sustainable development and inclusive decision-making.
What to expect
- Live sessions from around the world, highlighting national and regional initiatives in official statistics
- Innovations in data—from new methodologies and technologies, to collaborative partnerships making data more accessible and impactful
- Country spotlights on how statistics are driving progress toward development goals
- Panel discussions with statistical leaders, data scientists and policymakers
- Quizzes, competitions and polls to keep the energy going
- Interactive Q&A sessions—your chance to join the conversation, wherever you are in the world.
Spotlight on the Pacific
The Pacific Community (SPC) is programming a 90-minute regional spotlight (11:30–13:00 NCT · 12:30–14:00 FJT) on the theme ‘Driving change through engaging the whole of society.’
Presentations will highlight regional initiatives and community engagement, including work with youth, civil society, policymakers and local communities. Creative approaches including competitions, reports, data visualisations and video will be showcased, bringing forward diverse perspectives from across society.
NCT | FJT | Segment |
|---|---|---|
11:30 | 12:30 | Mr Phil Bright, Pacific Data Hub co-founder and Pacific
Community (SPC) senior leader, has over 20 years’ experience working in Pacific
statistics and data. He will introduce and moderate our regional spotlight,
guiding the conversation on ‘driving change through engaging the whole of
society.’ |
11:35 | 12:35 | Mr Dirk Wagener, UN Resident Coordinator for the Fiji
Multi-Country Office, formally opens the regional spotlight with his remarks
and reflections on the urgent need to strengthen statistical systems to close
persistent data gaps, and the importance of high-quality data for effectively
monitoring progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and guiding
evidence-based policymaking. |
11:40 | 12:40 | Numbers to narratives: Meet the award-winning storytellers transforming Pacific data into past, present and future insights. The Pacific Dataviz Challenge is a flagship regional initiative that empowers youth, students, designers and data professionals alike to transform open data into powerful visual insights that inform, inspire and drive change. From a conch shell mapping disappearing biodiversity to an interactive game imagining governance in 2050, this year's Challenge explores a vision of the Pacific's future. With 148 participants from 27 countries and territories—over half aged 25 or younger—the Challenge reflects a vibrant, forward-looking community, and a movement for data literacy and civic engagement. In this segment, Challenge Lead Mr Léo Cann-Polydor introduces the initiative and showcases standout entries. He's joined by Pacific prize recipients Ms Fiona Umpa (2024) and Ms Eunice Rigo (2025), who will share their award-winning projects and discuss how data storytelling is helping illuminate the Pacific's challenges and potential, and Ms Nina Polo, who brought the Challenge into her classroom. |
12:05 | 13:05 | Singing for statistics: Nauru's nationwide campaign to celebrate World Statistics Day and showcase the power of data. Nauru's World Statistics Day celebrations feature essay and poster competitions for students, a national logo competition, community radio and social media outreach, a promotional video, and even a theme song—all designed to spark conversation on the vital role of statistics in Nauru's future. By blending creativity with learning, the initiative engages schools, the wider public, and decision-makers alike. With prizes, giveaways and interactive activities, the campaign brings statistics closer to the people while showcasing Nauru Bureau of Statistics' commitment to building visibility, trust and pride in national data. |
12:15 | 13:15 | An innovative experiment in data science: Discover how Vanuatu is transforming raw data into resilient, community-led disaster preparedness. Vanuatu is breaking new ground with an innovative data-science initiative that harnesses satellite imagery, environmental data and population statistics to predict and prepare for the impacts of disasters and climate change. Using automated analysis and intuitive dashboards, the system provides government and agencies with rapid, actionable insights to protect lives and guide smarter planning. Mr Andy Calo, Vanuatu Government Statistician, will present how this open-source, locally owned system is strengthening national capacity to respond quickly and effectively to climate risks. The initiative not only supports communities on the front line of disasters, but also sets a bold example for how Pacific nations can use data innovation to drive resilience and sustainable development. |
12:30 | 13:30 | The power of data: Landmark statistics launch drives Kiribati's development in Pacific-first project. In June 2025, the Government of Kiribati marked a landmark moment for its national statistics with the official launch of the Kiribati Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2023–24 results. The event, held in Bairiki, Tarawa, was opened by Kiribati President Taneti Maamau, underlining the political importance of the HIES as a foundation for evidence-based policymaking. The launch showcased the release of 11 new statistical products from the one HIES, tailored to different stakeholder needs—from labour market to food consumption, poverty and inequality, natural disasters and climate change, disability, copra, health, digital and financial literacy. Collaboration ensured the survey was completed to international standards in under 12 months, covering more than 2,000 households nationwide. Ms Aritita Tekaieti, Republic Statistician, will talk to how a well-planned statistics programme, anchored in high-level political support and strong partnerships, can significantly raise the visibility of data for decision-making, and strengthen their role in guiding national development priorities. |
12:40 | 13:40 | Returning data to the people: How Tonga is strengthening community engagement through the census. Tonga is taking a community-centred approach to statistics—ensuring that data collected from the people is returned to the people. Following its 2021 census, the Tonga Statistics Department has produced more than 200 village-level reports in hard copy and distributed them across the islands, including outreach to the outer islands of Tongatapu. This initiative embodies the spirit of this year's World Statistics Day theme, 'Driving change with quality statistics and data for everyone.' By sharing results directly with communities, the project acknowledges their vital role in the census, encourages data-driven decision-making at every level, and drives social licence for the next national census in 2026. Mr Sione Lolohea, Tonga's Chief Statistician, will talk to how this outreach effort is empowering villages to use their own data for local development planning—and how returning information to the people strengthens trust, participation and evidence-based progress across the Kingdom. |
12:50 | 13:50 | At the end of the regional
spotlight, moderator Phil Bright will recap the main points, synthesise the
segments and highlight lessons learnt. |
Why this matters
Statistics are more than numbers—they are the foundation for informed decisions, effective policy, and sustainable development.
This 24-hour marathon will:
Showcase how statistical systems are evolving to meet today’s challenges
Foster cross-regional learning and collaboration
Inspire the next generation of statistics and data professionals.
How to join
Participation is free and open to all—whether you’re a statistician, policymaker, student, or simply curious about the power of data.
#WSD2025 #StatsDay #GlobalMarathon #SustainableData