1. Amman, Jordan Training Course on Statistics, Knowledge and Policy: Understanding Societal Change Jon Hall Global Project, OECD

2. Ignorance isn’t bliss “When we look at the human condition, it is not for us to laugh, or cry, or lament, or curse, or pretend that it is different. It is for us to understand. That is our sacred duty as human beings.” Baruch de Spinoza, Dutch philosopher, Political Treatise 1677.

3. An Over-Reliance on GDP “We have to move towards measuring welfare not just output. ” Angel Gurria, OECD Secretary General - OECD Ministerial Meeting May 2007

4. Istanbul World Forum Istanbul Video

5. A poverty of evidence in decision making Decisions taken on the basis of fact are more expensive than those taken on prejudice But they last a lot longer

6. Imagine a World … Where Citizens shared a common trusted information base about whether life is getting better? Where policy-makes were held more accountable and focussed on the issues that really mattered Where political discussion gave more focus to the ends a society wanted to achieve rather than the means to achieve them

7. Imagine a World …

8. This Course Will tackle three questions What evidence do we need to assess whether life is getting better? How can it be made useful to policy makers? How can we ensure it is used by citizens?

9. Thank you!