UNSC56 Side Event | Linked Open Data for Statistical Classifications

On the sidelines of the 56th session of the United Nations Statistical Commission, FAO, in collaboration with Eurostat and the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), hosted a side event titled “Linked Open Data for Statistical Classifications: New developments in the UN Global platform and Eurostat” on Thursday, 13 February 2025 from 09.00 to 10.15 AM New York Time (15.00–16.15 Rome Time).

Statistical classifications play a central role in the production, processing and dissemination of any piece of statistical data. FAO, UNSD, and Eurostat have long been working towards enhancing the usability and interoperability of these classifications by adopting web technologies and the publication style known as Linked Open Data (LOD).

This side event was an opportunity to engage with stakeholders, share lessons learned and foster discussions on the future of Linked Open Data for Statistical Classifications. 

Our speakers introduced and demonstrated the benefits of Linked Open Data technology when applied to statistical classifications. They highlighted functionalities that support the work of official statisticians, including retrieving and inspecting classification items, and discussed the various outputs supported by these platforms, including SDMX. Additionally, they also hinted at how statistical classifications served in this way may be used in information systems, given the example of use of Caliper within Aries for SEEA. Finally, they outlined some of the future developments foreseen in this field. 

---

 

AGENDA

TIME	CONTENT	PRESENTER
09.00–09.05	Opening Remarks	José Rosero Moncayo (FAO)
09.05–09.25	Caliper – an international partnership	Carola Fabi (FAO) Luis Gerardo Gonzalez Morales (UNSD) Kenneth Bagstad (USGS)
09.25–09.45	Platform Demo – functionalities for searching and querying classifications	Caterina Caracciolo (FAO)
09.45–10.00	Statistical Classifications at Eurostat	Christine Laaboudi (Eurostat)
10.00–10.15	Questions and Answers (Q&A)	José Rosero Moncayo (FAO) - Moderator

Webcast