Passing on unwanted gifts might be considered somewhat rude – unless it's done the right way.
The leader of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, is set to sell a reported 270 items bestowed upon her by world leaders while abroad. The diverse haul could include gifts including a miniature chainsaw-holding 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 are scheduled to be auctioned off in a public auction by a Rome-based auction firm. The specific date has not been finalized, but the intention is to hold the auction before Christmas, with the proceeds going to non-profit organizations.
The items reportedly stored in a repository on the third floor of Palazzo Chigi. It has been reported that Meloni additionally intending to auction off gifts received by her political forerunners that have been sitting unused for years.
The full gift list is yet to be disclosed, but partial details emerged earlier this year when a detailed register of official presents was submitted to lawmakers. The question centered on whether a statutory cap on gift value was being followed. By law, a prime minister cannot take home presents valued above €300.
Notable gifts feature:
"Maybe the strangest gifts included the Milei figurine and the exotic footwear," one might note.
Meloni has been credited, mainly from her own political sphere, with winning over international counterparts and making Italy as a key protagonist on the international platform once again.
This charitable initiative symbolizes a unconventional way to handle the protocol gifts that accumulate during a political career.
Elara is a financial strategist with over a decade of experience in wealth management and entrepreneurship.
