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Passing on unneeded presents could be viewed as a little discourteous – unless it's done for a noble purpose.

A Charitable Sale

The leader of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, will offload around 270 presents received by her by foreign dignitaries during her travels. The eclectic collection reportedly features gifts including a chainsaw-wielding statuette of Argentina's leader Javier Milei and a pair of blue python skin shoes with gold heels.

The collection, together, are valued at around €800,000. The plan is to auctioned off via competitive bidding by a Italian auction firm. A date is yet to be set, although the aim is to conduct the sale during the holiday season, with all funds raised going to non-profit organizations.

Palazzo Chigi Collection

These gifts reportedly locked away in a secure area on the upper level of the government headquarters. Sources state that Meloni additionally intending to auction off gifts received by her preceding prime ministers that have been gathering dust indefinitely.

The full gift list is yet to be disclosed, but a glimpse was gleaned earlier this year when a comprehensive document of official presents was presented in parliament. The question focused on if a statutory cap on gift value was being followed. By law, a prime minister must declare presents valued above €300.

An International Assortment of Gifts

The collection includes:

• A silk accessory from the Albanian prime minister, reportedly presented to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
• A customary Indian garment from India's prime minister.
• A box of jewellery from the Slovakian president.
• A fine china tea service and a selection of wines from Hungary's leader.
• A ceramic bowl from the ex-American leader.
• A digital device from the Ukrainian president.
• Paintings from the Moldovan government.
• Various other items including cosmetics, a board, and several rugs from trips to North African and Middle Eastern countries.

"Perhaps the oddest gifts were the statuette from Milei and the exotic footwear," one might note.

Diplomatic Context

Meloni has been credited, mainly from within her party, with garnering support from international counterparts and making Italy as a significant player on the global scene once again.

The forthcoming sale symbolizes a novel approach to manage the diplomatic artifacts that accumulate during a time in office.