Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has decided to place all gifts received during state visits and official meetings into a public auction, with all proceeds dedicated to charitable causes. The move, reported by Corriere della Sera, aims to promote transparency and transform official tokens into a resource supporting humanitarian work.
Although the date for the auction has not yet been set, the newspaper revealed that the catalogue encompasses a wide and diverse array of gifts, ranging from symbolic items to objects of high value.
Among the collection are pieces held in special vaults due to their high monetary worth, including precious jewellery and artefacts presented from Libya. The list also features a tablet received from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a porcelain tea set from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and a small ceramic piece from former US President Joe Biden.
The list also includes traditional attire, such as a colourful sash from Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, a traditional women’s dress from the Indian state of Kerala, gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and traditional clothing from Romania.
The collection is not without humorous items, such as a figurine of Argentine President Javier Milei holding a chainsaw, luxury Pakistani rice bags, small statues of Libyan camels, and various sports jerseys.
This decision is part of a broader government drive linking the management of official gifts to rules of transparency and the support of charitable initiatives.