by Paolo Fedele
Deputy National Secretary, USIM *
Only a short time has passed since the appointment of the new Commandant General of the Italian Coast Guard – Port Authority Corps, Admiral Sergio Liardo, yet the mark he has already made is deep, authentic, and destined to endure.
Those who knew him had long spoken of his great humanity, of his natural closeness to the women and men of the Corps. Today, those accounts are confirmed by a gesture as simple as it is extraordinary—one capable of moving hearts and giving new meaning to the very word “command”.
Admiral Liardo personally requested the list of birthdays of all members of the Coast Guard. Every day, quietly and without fanfare, he directly contacts those celebrating their birthday to offer his wishes. A phone call, a kind word, a sincere thought. A gesture driven not by protocol, but by heart.
In an era when distance often seems inevitable and roles risk turning into barriers, this act breaks down every hierarchical wall and restores the centrality of the individual. It is the powerful message of a Commandant who chooses to be present, who recognizes every woman and every man not merely as part of an organization, but as a human being—as a brother or sister of the sea.
A gesture of rare moral beauty. A sign of salty brotherhood, of deep belonging, of mutual respect. Because leadership is not only about giving orders, but about listening, remembering, and being there.
And in those daily phone calls—apparently small—lies the full measure of a Commandant who has chosen to place humanity at the very heart of his service.
- Received and published as submitted