US billionaires to give away fortunes to charity

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

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

Star Wars creator George Lucas – 'I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education' Photograph: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg and her husband Barry Diller, media entrepreneur and the creator of Fox Broadcasting Photograph: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

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

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

Paul Allen, the man who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates and who now owns three professional sports teams Photograph: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation, a major enterprise software firm Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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

Hedge fund manager Jim Simons, who is worth an estimated $8.5bn Photograph: Mark Lennihan/AP

T Boone Pickens, founder of BP Capital and long-time energy investor Photograph: Jeff Zelevansky/Reuters

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

Venture capitalist John Doerr Photograph: Paul Sakuma/AP

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