Biden Bowl, Anyone? Italy's PM to Auction Off International Gifts for Charity

Passing on unneeded offerings could be seen as slightly impolite – except if it's done the right way.

A Charitable Auction

Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, plans to auction an estimated 270 presents received by her by world leaders on official trips. The eclectic collection is said to contain gifts including a chainsaw-wielding statuette of Argentina's leader Javier Milei and a pair of exotic blue snake-skin shoes with gilded heels.

The collection, collectively, are valued at around €800,000. They will be put up for sale in a public auction by a Rome-based auction firm. The specific date is yet to be set, although the goal is to conduct the sale by year's end, with all funds raised going to various charities.

Storage Room Treasures

These gifts reportedly stored in a repository on the third floor of the prime minister's official office. It has been reported that Meloni furthermore considering auction off gifts received by her preceding prime ministers that have been stored away over a long period.

The full gift list has not yet been made public, but partial details emerged earlier this year when a comprehensive document of items received was presented in parliament. The discussion focused on whether a statutory cap on gift value was being honored. According to regulation, a prime minister cannot take home presents worth more than €300.

A Global Assortment of Presents

Notable gifts feature:

• A woven wrap from the leader of Albania, allegedly given to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
• A sari from Kerala from India's prime minister.
• A box of jewellery from the Slovakian president.
• A porcelain tea set and a selection of wines from Hungary's leader.
• A ceramic bowl from the ex-American leader.
• A digital device from the leader of Ukraine.
• Artworks from Moldova.
• Various other items including cosmetics, a skateboard, and numerous carpets received during trips to North African and Middle Eastern countries.

"Possibly the most unusual gifts included the statuette from Milei and the blue python skin shoes," reports suggest.

Political Context

The prime minister has received praise, particularly from within her party, with building relationships with international counterparts and re-establishing Italy as a key protagonist on the world stage once again.

This charitable initiative represents a novel approach to deal with the protocol gifts that are collected during a leader's tenure.