Zuckerberg pledges 99% of his Facebook shares to charity
Mark Zuckerberg owns almost four million shares in Facebook, which are reportedly worth roughly $US45 billion.
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Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, have announced one of the biggest charitable donations in history.
The couple revealed on Facebook they will give away 99% of their Facebook shares over the course of their lives to a new organisation called the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
The organisation will be focused on “personalised learning, curing disease, connecting people and building strong communities.”
Mr Zuckerberg owns almost four million shares in Facebook, which are reportedly worth roughly $US45 billion.
“We know this is a small contribution compared to all the resources and talents of those already working on these issues. But we want to do what we can, working alongside many others,” Mr Zuckerberg said in a letter addressed to his new daughter Max.
“Personalised learning will not only help students in good schools, it will also help provide more equal opportunity to anyone with an internet connection,” Mr Zuckerberg says.
He says he will continue to serve as Facebook’s chief executive for many years to come but the issues his organisation will be addressing are “too important to wait until you or we are older to begin this work.”
“By starting at a young age, we hope to see compounding benefits throughout our lives,” he says.
Mr Zuckerberg plans to sell or gift no more than $1 billion of Facebook stock each year for the next three years.
He has already received significant support.
Melinda Gates threw her and her husband Microsoft founder Bill Gates’ support behind the initiative.
“The example you’re setting today is an inspiration to us and the world,” she says.
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Jason Walls
Wed, 02 Dec 2015
Wed, 02 Dec 2015
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Zuckerberg pledges 99% of his Facebook shares to charity
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