Retired Archbishop of the ECSS Daniel Deng Bul receives the Silver Award from Archbishop Justin Badi Arama on August 24, 2021. Credit| Charles Wote/Eye Radio

The retired Anglican archbishop Daniel Deng Bul has received a silver award from Canterbury for his role in promoting peaceful co-existence among the citizens.

He was awarded in April this year for “his commitment to preach for peaceful coexistence in South Sudan.”

Deng Bul was replaced in 2018 by Archbishop Justin Badi Arama as the Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan.

During his tenure, he mediated peace talks between the government and the former rebel leader, George Athor in 2011.

In 2013, he spearheaded a national reconciliation committee whose mandate was to reconcile various communities in the country, among others.

“The award is a recognition that there are resilient people in South Sudan; they can work for peace and reconciliation in this country,” Deng Bul said while receiving the medal from Archbishop Justin Badi Arama on Tuesday. “So the award is not for me but for the people of South Sudan.”

He encouraged South Sudanese to “continue to bring peace to our country.”

Previously, the Canterbury recognized retired South Sudanese Bishop Paride Taban with a similar award in 2017 for his role in promoting reconciliation and interfaith cooperation in South Sudan.

The former archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba, the late Paulino Lukudu Loro was also awarded with the Hurbert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation in April.