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Relinquishing undesired presents could be considered somewhat rude – unless it's done for a noble purpose.

A Philanthropic Sale

Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, plans to auction around 270 gifts given to her by foreign dignitaries on official trips. This unusual assortment reportedly features items such as a miniature chainsaw-holding statuette of Argentinian president Javier Milei and a pair of exotic blue snake-skin shoes with gold heels.

These items, combined, have an approximate value of €800,000. They will be auctioned off to the highest bidder by a Rome-based art dealer. The specific date remains to be announced, although the aim is to hold the auction before Christmas, with the proceeds donated to various charities.

Storage Room Holdings

These gifts are said to be kept in a storage room on the upper level of the government headquarters. It has been reported that Meloni additionally planning to auction off gifts received by her political forerunners that have been sitting unused indefinitely.

The full gift list is yet to be disclosed, but partial details were revealed earlier this year when an 11-page list of all declared gifts was submitted to lawmakers. The question centered on whether a legal value limit was being followed. By law, a prime minister cannot take home presents worth more than €300.

A Global Assortment of Gifts

The collection includes:

• A scarf from the Albanian prime minister, reportedly presented to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
• A traditional Kerala dress from India's prime minister.
• A set of adornments from the president of Slovakia.
• A fine china tea service and a selection of wines from the Hungarian prime minister.
• A pottery dish from the former US president.
• A tablet from the Ukrainian president.
• Watercolour paintings from the Moldovan government.
• Various other items including makeup, a board, and numerous carpets received during trips to North African and Middle Eastern countries.

"Perhaps the oddest gifts included the Milei figurine and the exotic footwear," reports suggest.

Diplomatic Context

The prime minister has received praise, mainly from her allies, with garnering support from foreign leaders and re-establishing Italy as a significant player on the international platform once again.

This charitable initiative symbolizes a distinct method to handle the diplomatic artifacts that build up during a time in office.