PCBS Wins "Best Story" Award on Gaza at the ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition, 2024 during the Fifth United Nations World Data Forum

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) won the award for Best Story Map Presentation at the Fifth United Nations World Data Forum (UNWDF 2024), that took place on November 12^th  - 16^th  in Medellín, Colombia. The award was for PCBS story map entitled “The Impact of War on Health and Education in Gaza Strip.” This story map was developed in collaboration with SDGs Today, UN SDSN, and UNESCWA. The story highlights the challenges Gaza Strip faces under current conditions. This achievement reflects PCBS commitment to providing accurate and reliable information to shed light on pressing humanitarian issues, which, in turn, proves that Gaza is present in international statistical forums.

This recognition came during the participation of H.E Dr. Ola Awad, President of PCBS, in the events of the Fifth United Nations World Data Forum, organized by the United Nations in partnership with the Colombian Statistics Office.

Dr. Awad noted that the story outlines the severe disruption of essential services in Gaza Strip since October 7^th, 2023, due to the Israeli aggression, with a particular focus on its impact on the education and health sectors. She added that the presented data reflects the destructive effects of the Israeli aggression on citizens' livelihood, where statistics highlight the deteriorating situation of health and the interruption of educational processes in many institutions. This accurate documentation contributes to a deeper understanding of the daily suffering experienced by the Palestinian people.

H.E. Dr. Awad mentioned that this year’s ArcGIS StoryMaps competition was launched with the participation of around 2,500 participants from various countries under the theme “Confronting Change: Mapping Progress Towards a Sustainable Future.” The aim was to encourage entries focusing on phenomena such as climate change, urban expansion, equitable resource distribution, and peacebuilding efforts. The competition is designed to inspire creative minds, conservativesو  scholars, and storytellers from around the world to utilize geographic data in advancing sustainable development goals, seeking to raise the voices, and spread experiences and narratives that highlight the intersection of geographic information systems and purposeful storytelling.

You may visit the winning story map through the following link: https://t.ly/m5Afy.