JOHN BLOMFIELD HARTWELL WILLIAMS (1935-2008) grew up on the north shore of Sydney harbour, Australia. He met the Oxford Group while studying at New College, Oxford, in the 1950s. Knowing of the reconciling work of Moral Re-Armament (now Initiatives of Change) in Asia and Western Europe after World War II, he decided it would be a focus for his life's work.
His writing for theatre shows and current affairs journals took him to South America, Asia, Europe and back to Australia. In 1987, John co-founded the magazine For a Change in London, which included his outreach to East European countries. He developed a close link with Poland and his last work was a biography of Professor Jerzy Zubrzycki, “the father of Australian multiculturalism”.
John was married to Barbara Williams (nee Brown) and has two children Nicholas and Rachel.
