Hepatica

Hepatica Foundation had a very positive visit to the People’s Embassy of Belarus in Italy, based in Florence.

Secretary General Stefan Dozzi and Chief of Staff Filip Persson met with the local team, including Yuliya Yukhno, Representative of the People’s Embassy of Belarus in Italy.

During the visit they discussed opportunities to expand cooperation. For several years, Hepatica has supported the People’s Embassies in their crucial work for a free and democratic Belarus, liberated from the current dictatorship.

Hepatica is proud to stand with the Belarusian democratic forces and looks forward to deepening the partnership.

🇻🇪 The Rebuilding Venezuela Summit starts today!

Hepatica Foundation is proud to be a partner of the Rebuilding Venezuela Summit — the first major European event bringing together Venezuelan experts and European lawmakers to discuss the path toward a free and prosperous Venezuela.

📅 12–14 October 2026
📍 European Parliament, Brussels

Areas of focus:
→ Political Transition
→ Economic Reconstruction
→ Institutional Reform

Among the speakers are Markus Wiechel, Vice Chairman of Hepatica Foundation and Chairman of the Swedish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, together with Venezuelan experts and leaders including Armando Armas, Angel Alvarado and Jorge Jraissati.

The goal is to lay the foundations for a democratic, stable and prosperous Venezuela. With the right reforms and capable people, the country can unlock its economic potential, reduce poverty and rebuild critical infrastructure.

Together with partners including the Economic Inclusion Group and the Rebuilding Venezuela Project, we support efforts to build a Venezuela based on freedom, opportunity and strong institutions.

Hepatica Foundation is pleased to present its Advisory Board in full. The members bring together experience from diplomacy, parliament, government, civil society and international cooperation.

Anders Lindberg (Sweden)
International Advisor and Founder of Tilia Strategisk Rådgivning & Förvaltning AB. He is a Board Member of the Swedish Section of Société des Membres de la Légion d’Honneur and Special Advisor to HM Margareta, Custodian of the Crown.

Sir John Whittingdale (United Kingdom)
Member of Parliament for Maldon (Conservative), Member of the UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee and Vice President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. He previously served as Political Secretary to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Liliana Gutan (Moldova)
Moldovan diplomat and former Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland.

Tsai Ing-wen (Taiwan)
Former President of the Republic of China, Taiwan. She previously served as a trade policy adviser in the administration of President Lee Teng-hui and as a member-at-large of Taiwan’s national legislature.

Arkadiusz Mularczyk (Poland)
Member of the European Parliament (ECR) and former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland.

Garry Kasparov (Russian Federation, exile)
Former World Chess Champion, Chairman and Founder of the Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI), and Founder of the Forum of Free Russia.

Dr. Vladzimir Astapenka (Belarus, exile)
Representative for International and European Cooperation of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus and Head of the Mission of Democratic Belarus in Brussels.

Joanna Hofman (Poland)
Diplomat, political scientist and university lecturer.

Olena Khomenko (Ukraine)
Member of Parliament of Ukraine, Chair of the Sub-Committee on Defence Procurement of the Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence, and Chair of the PACE Parliamentary Network on the Situation of the Children of Ukraine.

Pavel Latushka (Belarus, exile)
Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, and Leader of the “Team Latushka and Movement ‘For Freedom’” faction of the Coordination Council.

Artak Apitonian (Armenia)
Former Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, former Ambassador of Armenia to Sweden and Finland, and Founding Chairman of Participatory Democracy NGO.

Edna Adan Ismail (Somaliland)
Founder of Edna Adan University and Hospital, former Foreign Minister of Somaliland, and former President’s Special Envoy for the peace talks between Somaliland and Somalia.

Guglielmo Picchi (Italy)
Chairman of SACE, Italy’s Export Credit Agency, and Director General of Fondazione Machiavelli ETS. He previously served as Undersecretary of State at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Hepatica Foundation is grateful and proud to have an Advisory Board of this calibre. Their experience and commitment will be of great value to our work.

Hepatica Foundation completes the introduction of its Advisory Board

Today we present the final member: Guglielmo Picchi (Italy)

Chairman of SACE, Italy’s Export Credit Agency
Director General of Fondazione Machiavelli ETS
Former Undersecretary of State at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Guglielmo Picchi is an economist and investment banker by training. He holds a degree in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Florence and an MBA from SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan. Much of his professional career was spent in investment banking in London.

He served as a Member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies from 2006 to 2022 and took part in the NATO and OSCE Parliamentary Assemblies. From 2018 to 2019 he was Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, with responsibility for relations with Latin America and NATO. He has previously served as Senior Adviser and Head of Europe at Aroca Consulting Group and is an Adjunct Professor at Università degli Studi Guglielmo Marconi in Rome.

A warm welcome to Guglielmo! With this introduction, the presentation of Hepatica Foundation’s Advisory Board is complete.

Hepatica Foundation – proud partner of Ukraine’s National Prayer Breakfast 2026

On 23 August in Kyiv, on the eve of Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day, Hepatica Foundation had the honour of being a partner to the National Prayer Breakfast of Ukraine.

The annual interfaith gathering, held under the patronage of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, brought together more than 1,500 participants: Ukrainian officials, faith leaders, military personnel, chaplains, families of fallen heroes, civil society and international guests from 17 countries. Among those present were President Zelensky, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, former US Vice President Mike Pence and retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg.

The meeting was a space for prayer, unity and solidarity — for those in captivity, for those still in battle, and for a just and lasting peace. It also marked a simple truth that Russia tries to deny: Ukraine is a free nation with a thousand-year history, and the right to worship freely is part of what the country is defending.

Hepatica is proud to stand with Ukraine not only in words, but in partnership — supporting platforms that strengthen cohesion, dignity, religious freedom and international friendship in a time of war.