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Passing on unwanted presents can be viewed as slightly impolite – except if it's done the right way.

A Philanthropic Clear-Out

Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, is set to sell a reported 270 gifts given to her by foreign dignitaries on official trips. This unusual assortment is said to contain items such as a miniature chainsaw-holding statuette of Argentina's leader Javier Milei and a pair of exotic blue snake-skin shoes with gold heels.

These items, together, are worth an estimated €800,000. They will be auctioned off in a public auction by a Rome-based fine art auction house. The specific date remains to be announced, although the goal is to conduct the sale during the holiday season, with the revenue donated to various charities.

Palazzo Chigi Holdings

These gifts are currently stored in a storage room on the upper level of Palazzo Chigi. It has been reported that Meloni is also considering auction off gifts received by her preceding prime ministers that have been sitting unused over a long period.

The full gift list remains disclosed, but a glimpse emerged earlier this year when a detailed register of items received was submitted to lawmakers. The question centered on whether a legal value limit was being followed. Legally, a prime minister must declare presents exceeding €300.

A Global Array of Presents

Among the items:

• A woven wrap from the Albanian prime minister, allegedly given to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
• A sari from Kerala from India's prime minister.
• A set of adornments from the president of Slovakia.
• A porcelain tea set and six bottles of wine from the Hungarian prime minister.
• A ceramic bowl from the former US president.
• A tablet from the Ukrainian president.
• Paintings from Moldova.
• An assortment including makeup, a skateboard, and several rugs received during trips to Libya and other Arab nations.

"Perhaps the strangest gifts were the Milei figurine and the exotic footwear," one might note.

Political Context

Supporters have applauded Meloni, particularly from her own political sphere, with garnering support from international counterparts and re-establishing Italy as a significant player on the global scene once again.

The forthcoming sale symbolizes a novel approach to deal with the diplomatic artifacts that build up during a time in office.