4th Annual Data Playground: an interactive event showcasing data and innovations for the SDGs.

The UN SDG Action Campaign, UN Global Pulse, and Microsoft organised the fourth annual Data Playground, an interactive event showcasing data and technological innovations for the SDGs.

Data Playground and Breakout sessions 
120+ innovators from both the public and private sector gathered at the event. After a word of welcome by Robert Kirkpatrick, Director of Global Pulse, and Mitchell Toomey, Director of the UN SDG Action Campaign, the attendees participated in a total of six breakout sessions, including “AI for Earth” – by Microsoft and “MY World 2030”.

Moreover, throughout the reception visitors could try out the latest and greatest in immersive storytelling with the UNVR 360 exhibition, and the Institute for the Future special demo Simtainer. They also had the opportunity to explore and share citizen perceptions on the SDGs with real time SDG data visualisations, and the MY World 2030 survey.

 

We would like to thank everyone, especially our inspiring speakers and colleagues for a vibrant DATA PLAYGROUND 2017 and are looking forward to welcoming you next year!

Interested in data for good? Check out http://data.myworld2030.org/

 

 

 

Data Playground, Virtual Reality, and Humans of MY World Heading to Bangkok!

By Kristen Grennan, Global Youth Advocate

The Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development is being held in Bangkok, Thailand from May 21-22 and the UN Millennium Campaign will be there displaying the peoples’ voices through the Data Playground, virtual reality, and Humans of MY World.

What is the Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development?

The forum will be a multi-stakeholder dialogue on three key issues: (a) practical approaches for integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development; (b) the potential for a regional monitoring and accountability framework; and (c) the form and function of the Forum beyond 2015. The theme of this year’s session is “Strengthening integration, implementation and review for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific.”

UN Millennium Campaign will be hosting a Data Playground at the forum for visitors to explore and interact with the MY World data, a virtual reality film screening called Clouds Over Sidra, and a Humans of MY World photo exhibition.

Social Media

What is a Data Playground?

Data Playground at the Cartagena Data Festival
Data Playground at the Cartagena Data Festival

The Data Playground is an interactive display of the MY World data. Using large touch screens, viewers can touch and play with the data, making “big data” fun and exciting. This is perfect for all ages and will be on display at the Forum in Bangkok on May 21.

Here are sample tweets you can use to post on your twitter account, so don’t be shy, join the conversation on Twitter!

  • Interact w/ @myworld2015 data on May 21 at the Data Playground at the @UNESCAP Asia Pacific Forum! http://www.unescap.org/events/apfsd2 #sustdevAP #APFSD
  • You’ll be in #Bangkok for the @UNESCAP Forum? Join us on 5/21 at our @myworld2015 #DataPlayground! #dataviz #bigdata  #sustdevAP #APFSD
  • Can’t wait for the #DataPlayground at the @UNESCAP Forum, showing #PeoplesVoices from around the globe! @myworld2015 #BKK #sustdevAP #APFSD
  • .@myworld2015 & @mcampaign hosting a #DATAPLAYGROUND @UNESCAP Asia Pacific Forum on #SustDev in Bangkok on 5/21! #sustdevAP #APFSD

Virtual Reality

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The Millennium Campaign offers the unique opportunity to get right into the life of a little girl living in a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan–thanks to the technology of virtual reality. The film Clouds Over Sidra is a virtual reality film made in collaboration with renowned virtual reality filmmaker Chris Milk that allows you to feel as if you were really in the Zaatari refugee camp with the main character, Sida. As Chris Milk recently stated in a TED Talk, “When [Sidra] is sitting in her room, you’re sitting there with her. You look down and you can see the carpet you both are sitting on. And because of that you see her humanity in a different way.” See what opportunities virtual reality has in store for the future of development!

Sample Tweets:

  • #VirtualReality brings you right into the life of a Syrian child. See #CloudsOverSidra @UNESCAP forum for yourself #VR4Dev #sustdevAP #APFSD
  • #VR4Dev? Check out #virtualreality at @UNESCAP forum in #BKK to see for yourself what it is like to be #childrenofsyria #sustdevAP #APFSD
  • #VirtualReality can change how we perceive crisis & conflict, see @UNESCAP Asia Pacific Forum @mcampaign #VR4Dev #sustdevAP #APFSD
  • Get into the world of a Syrian refugee via #virtualreality at the @UNESCAP Asia Pacific Forum! @myworld2015 #VR4Dev #sustdevAP #APFSD

Humans of MY World

Humans of MY World

The Millennium Campaign will also be hosting a photo exhibition displaying the peoples’ voices behind the data. In this intimate photo series, people explain what their top MY World priorities are for Post-2015 and why it is so important to them. Go beyond the numbers, get into the stories, and see the human side of MY World.

  • Beautiful stories of experiences & priorities of ppl from around the globe from @myworld2015, @UNESCAP Asia Pacific Forum #sustdevAP #APFSD
  • #Storytelling that brings you right to the heart of #Development https://www.facebook.com/homy2015 View the gallery in #BKK @UNESCAP #sustdevAP #APFSD
  • “It feels mostly like I’m waiting for death to come” https://www.facebook.com/homy2015/photos/pb.502956393150078.-2207520000.1430749293./591525860959797/?type=3&theater Photo gallery in #BKK, @UNESCAP @myworld2015 #sustdevAP #APFSD
  • #PeoplesVoices #BKK: “It’s stressful, but we keep going” https://www.facebook.com/homy2015/photos/pb.502956393150078.-2207520000.1430749293./591525860959797/?type=3&theater Gallery on 5/21 in #BKK @UNESCAP Forum #sustdevAP #APFSD

Finally, don’t forget to join the Peoples’ Voices Challenge!