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Passing on unneeded presents might be seen as slightly impolite – except if it's done in the proper manner.

A Philanthropic Clear-Out

Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, will offload around 270 items bestowed upon her by foreign dignitaries while abroad. This unusual assortment reportedly features gifts including a miniature chainsaw-holding statuette of Argentina's leader Javier Milei and a pair of blue python skin shoes with gilded heels.

The collection, combined, have an approximate value of €800,000. They will be put up for sale in a public auction by a Rome-based art dealer. A date has not been finalized, but the intention is to hold the auction during the holiday season, with the proceeds benefiting non-profit organizations.

Storage Room Collection

These gifts are currently kept in a secure area on the upper level of the government headquarters. Reports indicate that Meloni additionally considering auction off gifts received by her preceding prime ministers that have been gathering dust indefinitely.

The full gift list has not yet been made public, but a glimpse was gleaned earlier this year when an 11-page list of all declared gifts was presented in parliament. The question raised whether a statutory cap on gift value was being respected. Legally, a prime minister must declare presents valued above €300.

An International Array of Gifts

Among the items:

• A woven wrap from the leader of Albania, reportedly presented to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
• A sari from Kerala from India's prime minister.
• A box of jewellery from the president of Slovakia.
• A porcelain tea set and six bottles of wine from the Hungarian prime minister.
• A ceramic bowl from the former US president.
• A tablet from the Ukrainian president.
• Paintings from the Moldovan government.
• An assortment including cosmetics, a board, and several rugs received during trips to Libya and other Arab nations.

"Possibly the oddest gifts were the Milei figurine and the blue python skin shoes," reports suggest.

Diplomatic Backdrop

The prime minister has received praise, mostly from within her party, with garnering support from international counterparts and re-establishing Italy as a significant player on the global scene once again.

This charitable initiative symbolizes a unconventional way to handle the diplomatic artifacts that build up during a political career.