The word "philanthropist" Greek roots and literally it means a person who loves people.Gradually, the term has acquired a slightly different meaning.Now this word means a person who is ready to engage in charity, and donated to help the needy, that one is a philanthropist.Antonym of the word is considered to be the term "misanthrope", denoting a person who avoids contact with people and treat them negatively.
first philanthropists
Mention of such people are found even in the ancient texts.In ancient Rome, for example, the so-called people who sacrificed their personal wealth to help the state to provide the poor.Most often, it is engaged in providing the patricians, who had the chance.Sometimes in charitable work involved and the Church, even though most of the donations were made exclusively for maintaining the authority, so one can hardly say that it would have done a true philanthropist.Meaning of the word implies that everything is free of charge.
Funds
Even despite the fact that a large part of donations of the powerful is exclusively for raising their ratings, in any case benefit.To call on affluent people to part with their funds, are special organizations and foundations involved in raising money for those who really need them.Many of these organizations exist for specific tasks, such as data collection on the needs of orphans, seriously ill people or refugees.
list of the magazine "Forbes»
American magazine "Forbes", regularly publishes a variety of ratings, he turned his attention to philanthropy.Therefore, it was decided to create a list of 50 people who donated the largest sum to the needs of the poor.It is not surprising that the 40 members of this list are also the richest people on the planet.
Bill and Melinda Gates
This couple clearly know who is a philanthropist, as only for the year 2012 they donated nearly $ 2 billion of his fortune.Was the first time in Africa, Gates wife could see for yourself the terrible conditions in which the locals live.From then on they began to make significant donations aimed at the needs of the poor.
Warren Buffett
condition of the well-known philanthropist and not so great, though he lists annually to the fund created by the family Gates, a record amount, being one of the most generous people in the world.
George Soros
The total amount of donations this legendary figure on Wall Street reached $ 10 billion.His interests involve a variety of issues of the day.He donated enormous sums to various studies, the socialization of Americans and even to sterilize needles.
Mark Zuckerberg
This man's name is well known to most due to the fact that he created the popular social network.But not everyone knows that he has donated more than $ 500 million to a variety of needs, ranging from grants for talented people to the development of free schools.
Walton Family
It was home to many popular US philanthropists.Known members of the Walton family donated the need for at least $ 4.6 billion.Ellen Walton, known for his generosity, parting with huge sums for the development of American art.
Eli and Edythe Broad
These American billionaire made his fortune in the construction industry.Now Edith Wade has been actively involved in the promotion of museums and institutions.
Michael Bloomberg
former mayor of New York carried out the donation of 850 different funds.He has not forgotten any of his alma mater, or the environment."Care" Bloomberg has resulted in an amount that reaches almost 2.5 billion dollars.
Paul Allen
One of the founders of Microsoft knows exactly who is a philanthropist.He is devoted to science in the development of which has donated at least $ 2 billion.Thanks to him was even an institute that studies the brain.
Chuck Feeney
amount of funds, which has left the American billionaire, almost equal to its current state and reaches the figure of 6.3 billion dollars.He plans to leave with all their means, which attends the poorest countries and to establish a fund himself.
Gordon and Betty Moore
The famous couple has engaged in donations over the years.They sponsor a wide variety of areas ranging from the training of nurses and ending the development of science and environmental protection.
Conclusion
Quite simply explain who is a philanthropist, but even the people who donated billions to the needs of others, we can not say with certainty that this term is applied to them.The essence of this phenomenon is not only to part with their resources for the benefit of others.This should be done not for the sake of glory, but solely for the sake of others, but in this case we can proudly affirm: "I am - a philanthropist."Meaning of words widely enough, but do not forget that first of all it describes a man whose intentions are sincere.
