🔗 Share this article Ceramic Gift, Any Takers? Italy's PM to Sell World Leaders' Gifts for Good Cause Passing on undesired gifts can be viewed as somewhat rude – except if it's done in the proper manner. A Philanthropic Sale The leader of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, plans to auction an estimated 270 presents received by her by world leaders on official trips. The eclectic collection reportedly features objects like a miniature chainsaw-holding statuette of Argentina's leader Javier Milei and a pair of blue python skin shoes with gold heels. The collection, collectively, have an approximate value of €800,000. They are scheduled to be sold in a public auction by a Italian auction firm. An exact timeline has not been finalized, although the intention is to hold the auction before Christmas, with all funds raised going to various charities. Palazzo Chigi Collection The items are currently kept in a storage room on the third floor of Palazzo Chigi. Sources state that Meloni additionally planning to auction off gifts received by her predecessors that have been stored away indefinitely. The detailed catalog remains made public, but a glimpse was gleaned earlier this year when an 11-page list of official presents was reviewed by officials. The question raised if a statutory cap on gift value was being respected. By law, a prime minister must declare presents valued above €300. An International Array of Gifts Among the items: A scarf from the Albanian prime minister, allegedly presented to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad. A traditional Kerala dress from the Indian leader. A box of jewellery from the Slovakian president. A fine china tea service and six bottles of wine from the Hungarian prime minister. A pottery dish from the former US president. A tablet from the leader of Ukraine. Artworks from Moldova. An assortment including cosmetics, a skateboard, and numerous carpets received during trips to North African and Middle Eastern countries. "Maybe the oddest gifts were the statuette from Milei and the exotic footwear," one might note. Political Backdrop The prime minister has received praise, particularly from within her party, with building relationships with international counterparts and making Italy as a key protagonist on the global scene once again. This charitable initiative symbolizes a unconventional way to manage the state presents that build up during a political career.