Statistical literacy in the focus on World Statistics Day

World Statistics Day, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, will be observed for the first time on 20 October 2010. The Day will be celebrated in many different ways in nearly one hundred countries. The objectives of the Day are to emphasise the importance of reliable information in everyday thinking and decision-making, make statistics familiar and increase awareness of official statistics among the public. On World Statistics Day the producers of official statistics in Finland want to focus on statistical literacy and user skills as elements of civic skills.

Finland will celebrate World Statistics Day 2010 by concentrating on co-operation with educational institutes. Schools will be offered exercises and learning materials relating to or based on statistics. The exercises can be used in the teaching of several subjects, such as health sciences, mathematics, social sciences, biology or geography, at different grade levels. Schools are also given the opportunity to invite experts in diverse fields to visit them and explain to the pupils what statistics are, and how they are produced and used. These school visits will be organised in different parts of Finland.

World Statistics Day: World Statistics Day on UN website
Exercises for schools: Exercises and instructions for teachers

Official statistics describe society reliably and exhaustively

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF) comprise nearly 300 sets of statistics describing the state and development of society in Finland. Official statistics are produced by 14 expert organisations within public administration, all committed to common quality criteria.

Official statistics have an essential role in social decision-making, monitoring of national and international agreements, and social research. Statistics are needed as background information for legislative work, to steer local government finances and for the planning of business activities. Official statistics help public authorities, political decision-makers, business enterprises and ordinary people alike to form a reliable picture of society.

Reliable and comparable statistics are also necessary for decision-making within the European Union. Statistics are exploited in the EU's economic and monetary policy, agricultural policy, allocation of support from structural funds and in determining the contributions of the Member States. The Statistical Office of the European Communities, Eurostat, publishes statistical data concerning the EU Member States.

Portal to Official Statistics of Finland – One address for all official statistics produced in Finland
Eurostat's Introduction to World Statistics Day (pdf)

Further information
on World Statistics Day: Minna Korhonen +358 9 1734 2627 or Leila Kaunisharju +358 9 1734 7369
on Official Statistics of Finland: Riitta Harala +358 9 1734 3604 or Heli Mikkelä +358 9 1734 3200