Betty Williams

For other people with similar names, see Elizabeth Williams (disambiguation).
Betty Williams
Williams in 1996
Born
Elizabeth Smyth

(1943-05-22)22 May 1943
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died17 March 2020(2020-03-17) (aged 76)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
NationalityNorthern Irish
EducationSt Dominic's Grammar School for Girls, Belfast
Occupation(s)Activist, humanitarian
Known forReceiving the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize
Co-founder of the Nobel Women's Initiative
Spouses
  • Ralph Williams (marriage dissolved)[1]
James Perkins
​
(m. 1982)​
AwardsNobel Peace Prize (1976)

Elizabeth Williams (née Smyth;[2] 22 May 1943 – 17 March 2020) was a peace activist from Northern Ireland. She was a co-recipient with Mairead Corrigan of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976 for her work as a cofounder of Community of Peace People, an organisation dedicated to promoting a peaceful resolution to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.[1]

Williams headed the Global Children's Foundation and was the President of the World Centre of Compassion for Children International. She was also the Chair of Institute for Asian Democracy in Washington D.C.[3] She lectured widely on topics of peace, education, inter-cultural and inter-faith understanding, anti-extremism, and children's rights.

Williams was a founding member of the Nobel Laureate Summit, which has taken place annually since 2000.[4]

In 2006, Williams became a founder of the Nobel Women's Initiative along with Nobel Peace Laureates Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Shirin Ebadi, Wangari Maathai, Jody Williams and Rigoberta Menchú Tum. These six women, representing North and South America, the Middle East, Europe and Africa, brought together their experiences in a united effort for peace with justice and equality.[5] It is the goal of the Nobel Women's Initiative to help strengthen work being done in support of women's rights around the world. Williams was also a member of PeaceJam.[6]

  1. ^ a b Ryder, Chris (20 March 2020). "Betty Williams obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Betty Williams", AlphaHistory.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference nobel was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "14th Nobel Peace Laureate Summit takes place in Rome". Anadolu. AA. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  5. ^ Karin Klenke (27 April 2011). Women in Leadership: Contextual Dynamics and Boundaries. Emerald Group Publishing. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-85724-561-8. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  6. ^ "Betty Williams". PeaceJam.org. Retrieved 19 March 2020.