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Getting rid of unneeded offerings can be seen as somewhat rude – unless it's done for a noble purpose.

A Philanthropic Clear-Out

Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, is set to sell around 270 gifts given to her by world leaders on official trips. The diverse haul is said to contain gifts including a miniature chainsaw-holding statuette of Argentinian president Javier Milei and a pair of exotic blue snake-skin shoes with gilded heels.

The collection, combined, are valued at around €800,000. The plan is to auctioned off in a public auction by a Italian auction firm. A date is yet to be set, but the goal is to hold the auction by year's end, with all funds raised donated to various charities.

Palazzo Chigi Collection

The items are said to be stored in a secure area on the third floor of the prime minister's official office. It has been reported that Meloni furthermore planning to auction off gifts received by her predecessors that have been gathering dust over a long period.

The detailed catalog is yet to be officially released, but some insight were revealed earlier this year when an 11-page list of official presents was reviewed by officials. The discussion focused on if a statutory cap on gift value was being followed. According to regulation, a prime minister cannot take home presents worth more than €300.

A Global Assortment of Presents

The collection includes:

• A woven wrap from the Albanian prime minister, allegedly presented to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
• A sari from Kerala from the Indian leader.
• A set of adornments from the Slovakian president.
• A porcelain tea set and six bottles of wine from the Hungarian prime minister.
• A pottery dish from the former US president.
• A tablet from the Ukrainian president.
• Artworks from the Moldovan government.
• Additional objects including makeup, a skateboard, and several rugs received during trips to Libya and other Arab nations.

"Possibly the oddest gifts included the statuette from Milei and the exotic footwear," one might note.

Diplomatic Context

The prime minister has received praise, mostly from her own political sphere, with building relationships with international counterparts and making Italy as a key protagonist on the global scene once again.

This charitable initiative highlights a unconventional way to manage the protocol gifts that build up during a time in office.