The overarching aim of this Virtual Seminar Series is to provide Member States and stakeholders with instruction and opportunity to share and collaborate on geospatial methods, procedures, technology and data in the COVID-19 response. This will serve to deepen collaboration and foster knowledge exchange to enable Member States; the United Nations, its Regional Commissions, UN-GGIM Regional Committees and other organs; international organisations; academia; and, the private sector to use geospatial information to meet the challenge of COVID-19.

Specific items which will be presented and discussed in the Seminar Series will include:

• Discussing experiences from Member States and Regional Commissions and Regional UN-GGIM Committees on how they have met the challenge of COVID-19, reviewing progress and identifying challenges faced;
• Demonstrations on developing a national dashboard, which highlights data needs, available resources and good practices on developing a COVID-19 dashboard;
• Highlighting good practices on using geospatial information for public health and safety through bringing more intelligence and situational awareness to the data and decision-making;
• Providing a discussion on the challenges and tensions of using geospatial information to strengthen safety, while balancing the privacy implications;
• Providing principles and guidance on immediate actions to strengthen capacity;
• Identifying available resources for Member States and others to use in their COVID-19 response; and,
• Providing discussion on how to optimise resources to respond in the short and medium-term impact of COVID-19, while preparing for the long-term implications of public health and safety crises or emergencies.