12.01.2021

LATA Annual Conference “Open Digital Transformation”

The 15th annual conference of the Latvian Open Technology Association

12.01.2021

This post provides information about the LATA annual conference “Open Digital Transformation” and its program.

On February 3, the 15th annual conference of the Latvian Open Technology Association (LATA) will take place online. The main theme of the conference will be open technologies in the context of digital transformation, and experts from both the public and private sectors will participate.

A discussion titled “What Happens After Data Is Opened?” will also take place, featuring LATA Chairman Jānis Tupulis, Deputy State Secretary for Digital Transformation at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Gatis Ozols, and Director General of the State Land Service Vita Narnicka.

LATA has organized its annual conference for fifteen consecutive years, focusing on topics related to open technologies. Reflecting on the early years of LATA, Chairman Jānis Tupulis noted that significant effort was invested in educating society, especially civil servants and politicians, about open standards and open technologies. He acknowledges that understanding of open technologies in public administration has improved considerably. However, he also emphasizes that much work still lies ahead. Large investments are planned for digital transformation, and both the European Union and Latvia have raised the use of open technologies to a strategic policy level. At the same time, the goals of digital transformation are ambitious and require close cooperation between public administration, the private sector, academia, and non-governmental organizations such as LATA.

Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Artūrs Toms Plešs highlighted that, in cooperation with LATA, the State Land Service, the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre, and industry partners, significant progress has been made in implementing the principle “open by default.” In 2022, high-quality address, cadastral, and meteorological data will be available to the public free of charge. Businesses and researchers are encouraged to join the strategic data partnership and make valuable data accessible to society in line with open data best practices.

Invited experts will share experience on innovation, challenges, and cooperation opportunities relevant to digital transformation in the public sector, private sector, and academia. Datakom Board Member Jānis Čupriks notes that one of the most important topics today is cloud technologies and containerization. The conference will highlight how digital transformation affects business processes and how cloud solutions with Nutanix and containerization with Red Hat create a strong platform for growth and balanced business risks.

The conference will be available free of charge online to all interested participants, including ICT professionals, representatives of public institutions, companies, industry associations, and open data and technology enthusiasts. It will be streamed on the LATA website and Facebook page. The conference program and registration are available here: https://www.lata.org.lv/konference-2022

During the event, LATA annual awards will also be presented for contributions to the development, use, and promotion of open information and communication technologies. Applications for the award are open until January 18 on the LATA website.

The conference is supported by: Datakom, Latvijas Mobilais Telefons, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, Oracle East Central Europe Limited (Latvia Branch), the Latvian State Radio and Television Centre, and the Survey Data Centre.

Additional information: Zanda Šķēle, +371 26063286, zanda@wearevery.lv