Biden Bowl, Anyone? Meloni to Sell World Leaders' Gifts for Charity
Getting rid of unneeded gifts could be seen as somewhat rude – unless it's done in the proper manner.
A Charitable Sale
The Italian premier, Giorgia Meloni, plans to auction around 270 gifts given to her by foreign dignitaries on official trips. The diverse haul reportedly features items such as a chainsaw-wielding statuette of Argentinian president Javier Milei and a pair of exotic blue snake-skin shoes with gilded heels.
The presents, together, are worth an estimated €800,000. The plan is to put up for sale via competitive bidding by a Rome-based auction firm. An exact timeline is yet to be set, but the intention is to hold the auction during the holiday season, with all funds raised donated to a selection of charitable causes.
Storage Room Collection
These gifts reportedly stored in a secure area on the upper level of the government headquarters. Reports indicate that Meloni additionally planning to auction off gifts received by her political forerunners that have been stored away for years.
The full gift list remains disclosed, but a glimpse was gleaned earlier this year when a detailed register of items received was submitted to lawmakers. The query raised if a legal value limit was being honored. According to regulation, a prime minister must declare presents valued above €300.
An International Array of Gifts
Among the items:
- A scarf from the leader of Albania, allegedly given to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
- A traditional Kerala dress from the Indian leader.
- A set of adornments from the Slovakian president.
- A fine china tea service and six bottles of wine from Hungary's leader.
- A pottery dish from the former US president.
- A tablet from the leader of Ukraine.
- Watercolour paintings from the Moldovan government.
- An assortment including makeup, a board, and several rugs from trips to North African and Middle Eastern countries.
"Maybe the strangest gifts included the Milei figurine and the exotic footwear," reports suggest.
Diplomatic Context
Supporters have applauded Meloni, particularly from her allies, with winning over foreign leaders and positioning Italy as a key protagonist on the world stage once again.
The forthcoming sale represents a novel approach to deal with the diplomatic artifacts that are collected during a political career.
