by Andrea Trudden, Vice President of Communications & Marketing

1. Have you been to Italy before? 

I had never been to Italy before this opportunity, but have had the pleasure of meeting our Italian friends here in the States several times at our training conferences. I also have had the privilege of participating in Movimento per la Vita's (MPV) training events virtually in the past.

2. How did this trip begin? 

It just so happened that the MPV Symposium occurred at the time of my anniversary, so my husband was able to join me and we got to familiarize ourselves with the beautiful countryside. Venice is everything you imagine it to be. There is beauty all around. From here, we joined new friends from other areas of the country to drive up into the mountains where the training would be held. Thankfully, one of our fellow travelers happened to be my translator for the week! Camilla was a God-send and has an incredible zest for pro-life work and reaching the youth with a message of hope and love.

3. How long were you in Italy?

With travel and training, we were in Italy for a week. 

4. What PHOs did you visit during your time in Italy?

The MPV Symposium brought in pregnancy center leaders from all over the country, which is quite vast. Ultimately, there were about 65 people present, representing dozens of pregnancy centers and maternity homes. 

5. What did your visit cover (curriculum, training, visits/meetings, etc.)?

The symposium was such a powerful event. Italians have a love for education, so this was a true example of that in-depth teaching. We covered three primary topics, with various subtopics within.

First, we discussed cultural changes in the world from both a physical standpoint as well as a psychological standpoint. The abortion pill use is expanding all over the world, and it is important to understand the impact it has on women, both physically and emotionally. 

Second, there was a clear generational gap that needed to be addressed. Many at the training have worked in the field for decades and have an amazing heart for the work. On the first night, however, we were asked how many in the room were under the age of 35. Four hands raised. (Mine was NOT included.) To come back to a culture that embraces life, we must reach the youth with a positive message about family and hope. For effective succession planning and true impact, we must have more involvement from the youth. MPV has a good youth program that sadly lessened with COVID-19. They are rebuilding and have grand plans for future expansion.

Sticking to culture, we unpacked the role of media today and how we can use it to positively share stories from pregnancy help. We must recognize that journalism has shifted over the last decade and has activated an aggressive media attack on the abortion issue. I had the opportunity to provide media training there alongside two professional reporters. There are ways to counter the narrative, but we must be intentional about putting stories out into the world. There was a theme of becoming good storytellers throughout the Symposium. 

Finally, I was able to provide an overview of the global landscape of pregnancy help. This brought us back to talking about the abortion pill and abortion pill reversal. We must be fully aware of the implications easy access to abortion has on society and adapt to this new landscape.

6. What was the biggest thing you learned from or about the organization(s) you visited? 

I was very impressed with the depth of MPV's work. They encompass all life issues. In fact, while we were on-site, a couple of the presenters went down the road to present at another conference that had a focus on combatting euthanasia. MPV is working to mobilize the youth, serve through pregnancy help, encourage pro-life laws, and create a culture that embraces life from natural life to natural death.

7. What was the biggest takeaway from your visit to Italy?

Italy truly has the best pizza! Plus, there is a desperate desire to change the culture to embrace life before it is too late. MPV is watching the world and doing everything it can to protect the country from falling into cultural darkness.

8. Why is it important for us to connect internationally and between organizations?

This opportunity was a great example of how we are truly better together. MPV is doing amazing things in Italy! As one of our joint affiliate networks, they tap into Heartbeat trainings often and have great influence in their network. Staying connected and sharing the current challenges and triumphs helps us strategize for tomorrow while bringing key concepts to others around the globe. This is such a mighty mission that we are all working toward, so the more we can work together, the better.

9. Is there anything else that stood out to you or affected you during your time there?
Was there anything that surprised you?

My translator, Camilla, introduced me to a six-year-old girl who was saved at her pregnancy center outside of Rome. The girl's parents are still together and they are actively involved in the work of MPV. Her mother is studying to become a magistrate and her father is a lawyer. Seeing how engaged he was at the Symposium and how she was cared for by all around, as though she was a niece to each person, showed love in action. While a completely different language and nation, the work is exactly the same. We are each called into this movement to share our skills to work toward a common mission of life. It was a great affirmation.

by Ellen Foell, International Program Specialist

There are so many reasons people attend the European Pregnancy Help Leaders (EPHL) Summit. There are, of course, inspiring keynotes and relevant workshops. This year, attendees heard keynotes from Jor-El Godsey and Guillermo Morales Sancho, from Alliance Defending Freedom International, and nine workshops covering issues such as mega tech’s shadow banning, metrics, and how to track them simply, efficiently, and effectively, as well as updates on European Union laws and cases, fundraising and mission drift. That wasn’t all, but hopefully, that whets your appetite to attend the next Summit which will be in 2026.

Aside from that, the EPHL Summit is always held in a beautiful world-class city. From Bratislava (2014) to Venice (2016), Belgrade (2018) to Bucharest (2022), and this year to Budapest (2024) participants have the opportunity to see something in the city. This year, we also had the honor of being received in the Hungarian Parliament by the Vice President of Hungary. Hungary declares itself to be pro-family and pro-life, and this is evident—even at the airport!

One can’t forget to mention the food. A fun part of attending these Summits is the opportunity to taste local cuisine, served at the hotel and in neighboring restaurants.

Networking & Fellowship

Have you ever wondered how other centers do "x" or "y" [insert frustration of the day]? Are we the only ones that do things this way? Are we the only center that struggles with this? One of the reasons people love the Summit is that they have a chance to talk to other center leaders and volunteers. They talk about mutual challenges and difficulties to figure out solutions that might work. Further, we often have a chance to visit a local pregnancy help center. It is fun to see how other centers are set up.

Speaking of fun…you should hear the volume level in the lobby as people greet one another and excitedly hug when they see each other after two years of not seeing one another.

But, what's the best reason to attend the EPHL Summit? Well, there are actually 60 reasons: the people who come. There is nothing quite like seeing people who already connect on a professional level, also connect on a personal and friend level. The fellowship of people who see one another only once every two years—but every two years—is sweet. Repeat attendees enjoy seeing one another and make sure newcomers are warmly welcomed.

The pregnancy help community is a family. We need one another and we help one another. We spur one another to greater love and good works (Hebrews 10:24-25), we encourage and build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11), we carry each other's burdens (Galatians 6:2), we are kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32), we sharpen one another as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), and we accept one another and encourage one another with the same mind in Christ (Romans 15:5). We remind one another of the “why” behind the work we do.

Family reunions—there's nothing quite like them. We are grateful for the privilege of hosting this family reunion every two years in Europe. Thank you to all who attended and we hope to see you in 2026! We value your input, so please fill out the short evaluation linked here. Also, make sure you're subscribed to our eNewsletter, Heartbeat Around the World*, for an announcement about our next Summit. You don't want to miss it!

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