Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to Host First Data Fest 2024 in Islamabad
— October 20, 2024
ISLAMABAD (AIA) The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) will host the country’s inaugural Data Fest 2024 at the Pak-China Friendship Centre from October 21 to 22, bringing together experts, researchers, and data enthusiasts to explore the role of data in shaping policies and driving innovation for a brighter future.
This first-of-its-kind event aims to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing while offering actionable strategies to tackle key challenges in Pakistan, such as healthcare access, social equity, and sustainable development.
Prominent data scientists, statisticians, and IT experts will deliver keynote speeches, highlighting the transformative power of data in policymaking and innovation. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on workshops, exhibitions, and a data visualisation competition, showcasing the latest advancements in data technology.
Key activities will include thematic discussions on governance, climate resilience, and other pressing topics, with participation from major stakeholders including NADRA, SUPARCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, and the World Bank. International and regional experts from organisations such as the United Nations and the Asian Development Bank will also deliver keynote addresses.
The event will feature 50 workshops across six dedicated workstations covering various topics in data integration and visualisation. Eighty stalls will showcase cutting-edge data products and tools, with representation from key organisations including the Pakistan Software Export Board, KPITB, and Provincial Bureaus of Statistics.
Panel discussions will cover six critical areas, including harnessing demographic data for policymaking, monitoring welfare for better decision-making, addressing climate change, bridging data gaps for inclusive policymaking, data integration for growth, and closing gaps in human capital (education).
Delegations from international statistical offices, including representatives from the Maldives, Nepal, and Oman, and delegates from the Asian Development Bank and UNICEF, will attend the event. Virtual presentations will also be given by delegates from Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Iran.
The event will feature an incubation centre designed for academia and researchers to showcase their projects, using integrated data sets to highlight innovative research. Various foundations, social welfare organisations, and academic institutions like LUMS, FAST, NUST, and Quaid-e-Azam University will also participate.
Data Fest 2024 is expected to raise awareness of the importance of data in policy planning, strengthen collaboration between government, the private sector, academia, and civil society, and drive innovations in data analytics and visualisation. The festival marks the beginning of collaborative projects aimed at utilising data to benefit society.
PBS encourages all stakeholders to join this vital initiative to leverage data for improving lives and driving sustainable development across Pakistan.