US billionaires to give away fortunes to charity

Forty of the richest families and individuals in the US have committed to give the majority of their wealth to charitable causes by taking the 'giving pledge', a campaign launched by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett
  
  


Giving Pledge: Businessman Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett, aka the Sage of Ohama, and the third richest person in the world: 'Were we to use more than one percent of my claim checks (Berkshire Hathaway stock certificates) on ourselves, neither our happiness nor our well-being would be enhanced. In contrast, that remaining 99 percent can have a huge effect on the health and welfare of others' Photograph: Michael Buckner/Getty Images
Giving Pledge: Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates at The World Economic Forum In Davos
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Melinda, his wife: 'We have been blessed with good fortune beyond our wildest expectations, and we are profoundly grateful. But just as these gifts are great, so we feel a great responsibility to use them well' Photograph: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Giving Pledge: George Lucas attends the Academy Of Motion Pictures Awards Gala
Star Wars creator George Lucas – 'I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education' Photograph: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
Giving Pledge: Diane Von Furstenberg and Barry Diller at the Metropolitan Opera
Fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg and her husband Barry Diller, media entrepreneur and the creator of Fox Broadcasting Photograph: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
Giving Pledge: Ted Turner, Chairman of the UN Foundation
CNN mogul Ted Turner: 'I’m eager to keep working hard every day on giving back and making the world a better place for generations to come' Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters
Giving Pledge: New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York: 'If you want to do something for your children and show how much you love them, the single best thing - by far - is to support organizations that will create a better world for them and their children' Photograph: Jemal Countess/WireImage.com
Giving Pledge: Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen
Paul Allen, the man who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates and who now owns three professional sports teams Photograph: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
Giving Pledge: Oracle CEO Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation, a major enterprise software firm Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Giving Pledge: Sanford and Joan Weill
Former Citigroup chairman Sanford Weill and Joan, his wife: 'We are firm believers that shrouds don’t have pockets' Photograph: Ramin Talaie/Bloomberg via Getty images
Giving Pledge: Hedge fund manager Jim Simons
Hedge fund manager Jim Simons, who is worth an estimated $8.5bn Photograph: Mark Lennihan/AP
Giving Pledge: T Boone Pickens, founder of BP Capital and long-time energy investor
T Boone Pickens, founder of BP Capital and long-time energy investor Photograph: Jeff Zelevansky/Reuters
Giving Pledge: Pete G Peterson, co-founder of the Blackstone Group
Pete G Peterson, an investment banker and US secretary of state for commerce under Richard Nixon: 'I get much more pleasure giving money to what I consider worthwhile causes than making the money in the first place' Photograph: Rick Maiman/Landov/PA
Giving Pledge: Venture capitalist John Doerr
Venture capitalist John Doerr Photograph: Paul Sakuma/AP
Giving Pledge: Jeff Skoll and his girlfriend Paige
Jeff Skoll, the Canadian-born engineer who was the first president of eBay, and his girlfriend Paige: 'The world needs each of us doing all we can to ensure a brighter tomorrow for future generations' Photograph: Mirek Towski/DMI/Rex Features
 

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