Hello everyone
This is the running update from the Executive Director. Have questions or comments? Suggest some added information or edits? Contact Colin at kantarainitiative dot org.
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As I begin this on the first day of September, it feels like the intensity of August - both temperature as well as emotions running high over events around the world - is easing back. One thing that did not seem to ease back, was the intensity of online webinars. That thought was in my mind yesterday August 31st as I readied myself to present Kantara's work to the ONC's Patient Identity and Matching Working Session. With close to 400 attendees at the height of the day, there was no pressure! ('yea, right') but I drew some comfort from other Kantara members and supporters presenting as well as referencing our efforts. Grateful thanks goes to Noreen Whysel and Catherine Schulten from the FIRE WG helping me prep the slides and to the HIA WG for its efforts on drafting the written submission due later this week.
Just in while I type, is the UK's government's response to the call for evidence on digital identity from a year ago where Kantara submitted these comments. 'Better late than never' it's great to see movement on this at last, judging by industry's reaction here. If you read last month's Director's Corner one could be forgiven for thinking their ears were burning... The IA-WG has a continual slew of similar calls on its slate that it works around its main role as the steward of the Identity Assurance program and its associated Trust Framework, which has constant maintenance and improvement cycles throughout the year. The current consultation is on the European Union's eIDAS regulation, Implementing Acts and the success or otherwise of the strategy, led by Individual contributor Mark King. Thank you Mark! Globally acknowledged as we are, there is a never ending stream of requests for our input. We need more volunteers to lead work and sponsors to support the effort. If the current global conditions find you with some spare time, please contribute it to Kantara, where, now more than ever, there's more more requests to engage and more work as a result, landing on our plate.
Kantara Individual Contributor member and globally acknowledged privacy expert John Wunderlich did just that. Juggling his client work along with a stint temporary stint as Chair of the ISI-WG, John has also put his hand up to spin up the much anticipated Kantara mDL Discussion Group, to focus on rounding out the ISO 18013-5 mDL standard's privacy and security recommendations in Annex E - a critically essential success factor to enable the development of the fledgling global mDL ecosystem. Some of you may have seen and heard John (and Kantara President Matt) speaking on Secure Technology Alliance's Webinar #3 (note that there were some technical issues impacting this session but it is being re-recorded). Our collective hats off to you John Wunderlich. We applaud your quiet resolve and magnanimity. Give John and the Leadership Council a few weeks to get the Charter approved and for Staff to build the wiki space and we will let you know when the site is up and GPA is ready for you to acknowledge.
Kantara Europe was busy as usual with coaching of existing NGI_Trust projects and as mentioned last month working with a large consortium on a new funding bid for 2021. Its project name is Demoiselle with a focus on Long Term Security of Systems, Systems of Systems and Organizations & Societies all through policy, process and technology planes. That's more IoT oriented than Kantara's traditionally known core capabilities but with IDoT becoming so relevant now, and having a global reach to expertise that we do, the consortium sought out Kantara to fill this much needed gap in its enviable line-up of partners.
I want to round out this month's blog with a hat-tip to the Board. All summer-long it has been undertaking a deep strategic review of Kantara - the organizations's capabilities, its vision & mission, and its role in the global ecosystem. The last review of its kind took place in 2016, the year I took up the post of ED. In the intervening 5 years, Kantara has changed in nearly every dimension, with the exception of its foundational ethics and ethos which remains as the Founders chartered it back in 2009. 2020, Kantara's 11th year of operation seemed an entirely appropriate year to review and reset. If you have a futurist view of Kantara please let the Board know by emailing directors at kantarainitiative dot org. It aims to share its initial thoughts on the findings here next month.
Grab the last of the sun in the north or the spring skiing in the south, because the last quarter of 2020 looks set to be something of a game-changer for Kantara.
Onwards!
Kind regards
Colin
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