H.E. Mgr. Franco Coppola (Apostolic Nuncio to the Kingdom of Belgium and Luxembourg) will introduce the lecture on “The Diplomacy of the Holy See” on Friday January 30th, 2026 from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. H.E. Mgr. Franco Coppola is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium and Luxembourg since 2021. He has served in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1993. Coppola was born in Maglie on 31 March 1957. He was ordained priest on 12 September 1981. He was incardinated in the diocese of Otranto. He attended the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy while at the same time studying for a doctorate in canon law at a pontifical university. He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 July 1993, he served at the pontifical representations in Lebanon, Colombia, Poland and at the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State. He served with the rank of Counsellor at the Nunciature in Burundi. On 16 July 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Burundi and Titular Archbishop of Vinda. He was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI. On 31 January 2014, Pope Francis named him Apostolic Nuncio to the Central African Republic. On 2 April 2014, Pope Francis named Coppola Nuncio to Chad. On 15 November he was named Nuncio to Belgium and on 14 December 2021 he was named Nuncio to Luxembourg.