Betty Williams was a peace activist whose exemplary work in strife-torn Northern Ireland was recognized by the Norwegian Nobel Committee and she became a co-recipient of the prestigious prize in 1976. She was born in the middle of the 20th century and led an ordinary life until the age of 33, working as an office assistant and raising her children in her home in Belfast. Everything changed when she witnessed three children being crushed to death as a car, in which an IRA fugitive was escaping, lost control. Realizing that next time it could be her children, she galvanized into action and gathered hundreds of women around her, collecting 6000 signatures within two days. She co-founded a movement called Women for Peace, which may not have stopped violence altogether, but definitely was seen as a solid peace initiative in the troubled Northern Ireland. Later, Williams traveled around the globe in a bid to improve lives of the children caught in war. She served as the president of World Centers of Compassion for Children International. She was also a published author who penned several books, both for children and adults.
