International Monetary Fund

Seminars and Conferences

Joint IMF-World Bank Celebrations of World Statistics Day

October 19-20, 2010

World Statistics Day

 


The UN General Assembly has designated October 20, 2010 as World Statistics Day. Countries and international organizations will hold events to celebrate the important role of official statistics in policy-making. The IMF and the World Bank are jointly hosting an event ahead of the World Statistics Day in Washington, DC.

Program
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Opening Session Black Auditorium – H Building, World Bank
9:00am - 10:00am Breakfast, networking, and viewing of exhibits
10:00am - 12:00pm Moderator: Phillip Hay, Communications Advisor, HDN, World Bank
10:00am - 10:30am Opening remarks by:
Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Managing Director, World Bank
Murilo Portugal, Deputy Managing Director, IMF
10:30am - 11:05am Guest Speakers:
• Dr. Eduardo Sojo, Chief Statistician, Mexico (Data compilers’ perspective)
• Dr. Pronab Sen, former Chief Statistician, India (Data compilers’ perspective)
• Prof. Angus Deaton, former President, American Economic Association (Data users’ perspective)
11:05am - 11:40am Discussion, including audience participation through the web
11:40am - 12:00pm Closing remarks by:
Adelheid Burgi-Schmelz, Director, Statistics Department, IMF
• Shaida Badiee, Director, Development Data Group, World Bank
ICP Users Conference Black Auditorium – H Building, World Bank
2:00pm-2:20pm Opening statement, Justin Lin, Sr. Vice President and Chief Economist, Development Economics, World Bank
2:20pm-3:00pm The basic PPP challenge and possible extensions of PPP methods, Prof. Angus Deaton
3:00pm-3:30pm Speculating on how PPP could be used if more fully developed and utilized, Dr. Albert Keidel
3:30pm-3:50pm Coffee break
3:50pm-5:40pm Technical presentations and discussion of six specific underutilized PPP uses and extensions:
• International comparisons in healthcare and education
• International comparisons in agriculture and food
• International comparisons of infrastructure and certain kinds of equipment
• Within-country comparisons of living standards and employee costs
• Long-term projections of economic growth
• Domestic and international valuation of housing and medical services
5:40-6:00pm Conclusion and recommendations
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Launch of Virtual Statistical System (VSS) (VC with Nigeria Country Office) Room JB1 - 080, World Bank J Building
9:00am-10:00am Breakfast, networking, and viewing of VSS
10:00am-10:10am Opening statement, Shaida Badiee, Director, Development Data Group
10:10am-10:20am Introduction to the VSS, Jean-Louis Sarbib, Chief Executive Officer, Development Gateway Foundation
10:20am-10:40am Main features of the VSS, Ronald Luttikhuizen, Project Manager, Development Data Group
10:40am-10:45am Remarks from Onno Ruhl, Country Director, Nigeria
10:45am-10:55am Results of the Assessment of the VSS, Hermann Habermann, Consultant, VSS Project
10:55am-11:45am Discussion
• Nigeria: World Bank Country Office/National Statistical Office
• Washington audience
11:45am-12:00pm Closing remarks
Award Ceremony Second Regional Award for Innovation in Statistics Room I8-300, World Bank I Building
3:00pm-4:00pm Poster exhibit about the innovations, the use of the data, and the lessons learned
4:00pm-4:10pm Opening remarks, Marcelo Giugale, Sector Director, LCSPR
4:10pm-4:20pm Opening video on the background of the awards
4:20pm-4:40pm Award ceremony hosted by Pamela Cox, Regional Vice President, LCRVP, co-hosted by Richard Harris, DFID, and Representative of the Spanish Trust Fund. Announcement of the winners in each category:
• Latin American and the Caribbean
• Sub-regional Central America
• Sub-regional Caribbean
4:40pm-4:50pm Closing video -- interview with three finalists
4:50pm-5:00pm Closing remarks, Shaida Badiee, Director, Development Data Group Importance of supporting innovation initiatives in statistics.
5:00pm-6:00pm Cocktail