Passing on unneeded gifts could be viewed as a little discourteous – except if it's done for a noble purpose.
A Charitable Clear-Out
Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, will offload an estimated 270 presents received by her by world leaders during her travels. This unusual assortment could include gifts including a chainsaw-wielding statuette of Argentinian president Javier Milei and a pair of exotic blue snake-skin shoes with gold heels.
The presents, collectively, are worth an estimated €800,000. They will be sold to the highest bidder by a Rome-based fine art auction house. A date is yet to be set, although the aim is to hold the auction during the holiday season, with the revenue going to various charities.
Palazzo Chigi Holdings
The items reportedly kept in a storage room on the upper level of the prime minister's official office. Reports indicate that Meloni furthermore intending to auction off gifts given to her preceding prime ministers that have been sitting unused indefinitely.
The detailed catalog is yet to be made public, but some insight emerged earlier this year when a detailed register of all declared gifts was presented in parliament. The question raised if a statutory cap on gift value was being followed. Legally, a prime minister must declare presents exceeding €300.
A Global Array of Presents
The collection includes:
- A silk accessory from the leader of Albania, allegedly presented to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
- A traditional Kerala dress from India's prime minister.
- A box of jewellery from the Slovakian president.
- A fine china tea service and six bottles of wine from the Hungarian prime minister.
- A ceramic bowl from the former US president.
- A tablet from the leader of Ukraine.
- Artworks from Moldova.
- Various other items including makeup, a board, and numerous carpets from trips to North African and Middle Eastern countries.
"Maybe the oddest gifts were the Milei figurine and the blue python skin shoes," one might note.
Political Context
Meloni has been credited, mainly from her allies, with garnering support from global statesmen and making Italy as a key protagonist on the world stage once again.
The forthcoming sale represents a unconventional way to deal with the protocol gifts that are collected during a leader's tenure.
