Hundreds gathered at Salisbury Cathedral on Sunday 9 June, including eleven Sudanese bishops and the provincial secretary, Mr John Augustino. The Bishop of Khartoum preached and the Sudanese Ladies Singing Group added to the international atmosphere of prayer and worship.

130 delegates attended a two-day international conference on 12 and 13 June, with guests including His Excellency the Ambassador of South Sudan and international partners including the American Friends of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan. Mission and development agencies included CMS, US (formerly USPG), Mission Aviation Fellowship, SOMA, Christian Aid, Tearfund and the Mothers Union, as well as a representative from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development. Individual visitors included Baroness Cox of Queensbury, a tireless campaigner and advocate for the people of the Sudans.

The Sudanese visitors spent time in parishes across Dorset and Wiltshire, greeting those they were twinned with and exchanging news and advice.

The Bishop of Salisbury, Nicholas Holtam, said, “These two weeks have been a great success. We all wanted to do justice to the strength and richness of the link we share with the 31 dioceses of Sudan and South Sudan during these celebrations. The Sudan Committee worked incredibly hard to make sure the events went well, and succeeded admirably.”

He added, “To have so many visitors from the South Sudan and the Republic of the Sudan was cheering and humbling. Their stories spoke strongly of deep Christian faith lived with hope, courage, and joy in the Lord Jesus. The link is in good heart as we look forward to the next forty years.”

ENDS

Links
YouTube clip: Three Bishops (4min 22sec)
YouTube clip: the Bishop of Khartoum (1min 18sec)
Gallery: Cathedral Service (all photos by Ash Mills)
Galleries: Conference Day 1 and Day 2 
Gallery: at Diocesan Synod 
Gallery: Celebrations in Devizes 
Gallery: Sudan Garden Fete 
The Bishop of Salisbury 
The Salisbury-Sudan Link 
The Episcopal Church of Sudan 
Twitter coverage hashtag: #sud40sal