Philanthropy is not a geographic term, as Charles D. Brooks correctly said. The word philanthropy has its roots in the Greek language meaning "love for mankind" and actually does not limit itself to donations of thousands or millions of dollars. But when lack of funds prevents nations from functioning efficiently and fully, private philanthropy of all kinds do help hasten the process. The difference it makes in terms of human betterment, represents the kind of happiness that money, time and goodwill can bring.

The likes of Warren Buffet, George Soros, Michael Dell, Gordon E Moore (the list is endless) who have been as restless in supporting lives as they have been in the task of manning their respective industry, deserve our salutes. All these are just some of the people who strongly believe that the power of money is the power to give it away. But for these Samaritans, the world would not have been the same. As it is, in their capacity as industry captains, they are reason for livelihood to so many that they employ and to many more who find indirect employment at post-production stages. Add to that, their compassionate moorings, and you know what they mean to the world, where the role of nations leaves much to be desired. These are the people who felt that the better off they are, the more responsibility they had for helping others.

Then there are people like Bill Gates who recently announced that he will be giving up his day-to-day role in the company in two years though he will continue to be the Chairman of the IT giant. 50-year-old Gates has decided that he wants to spend more time in his Foundation and on activities of the non profit foundation. In the last few years Gates along with his wife Melinda, have been spending an increasing amount of time with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation whose assets are now in the neighbourhood of $30 billion. The Foundation is very well known for its activities in different parts of the world particularly in Africa and in India where it is involved in health care for the poor and the needy. Though some people feel that he was stepping away from “one of the best jobs in the world”, many also feel that he has, as always, taken the right course; to focus on something else he is deeply committed to: philanthropy. World’s richest man feels that great wealth also brings great responsibility. His decision to concentrate more on philanthropy has in turn, multiplied his goodwill all over the world. Such men are the new inspiration for other corporates.

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett's pledge to give, approximately 85% of his wealth in July, 2006 - most of it to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has experts predicting it could energize the nonprofit sector and possibly spawn a new wave of philanthropy. This bold move should also draw in new philanthropists, people who are wealthy who haven't given their money yet. Buffett's gift will increase the resources of the Gates Foundation, which is already the world's largest philanthropy with assets of about $29.1 billion. Buffett is giving away roughly $42 billion fortune to five foundations in annual gifts of stock starting next month.

What created ripples around the world is that a donor of his stature has decided to team up with another donor of similar stature. Usually with that kind of wealth, donors tend to do it by themselves - create entities by themselves, want to manage those things by themselves. Buffett's choice to give so much of his money away without demanding that his name be attached to it was both selfless and sensible and one can hope that this trend catches on. A trend where Universal Brotherhood is the word of the day and where people pool in resources and help eachother complete their philanthropic endeavours. This clearly shows that philanthropy is not about competition but about co-operation. This philanthropic mind-set can set a new order for the world.

UN’s eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and all the world’s leading development institutions. They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the worlds poorest. But consecutively unfulfilled Millennium Development Goals of the UN, caused by the lack luster initiative of nations might be some indicator.

It is in this context that the role of these Samaritans is colossal. In fact, the token of benevolence coming from the likes of Bill Gates might actually be quite higher than that of several developed nations! That precisely conveys all. In a world of miseries where more than a billion live on a dollar or less a day with more than a billion who have never even stepping into a school; and more that 1200 children dying every hour reaching the annual toll to more than 10 million; finding their roots in a common pathology called ‘poverty’, which is being best fought by these entities of mettle whom we salute on this platform.

As individuals we may want to bring many differences in the world we see and there are many who actually take action but the difference, the accelerated pace at which this change can be brought when like-minded people unite and work toward common goals, will be phenomenal. We strongly believe that if the initiatives of these luminaries is replicated by all of us in this world even in some measure, the world can easily bid adieu to misery, deprivation, hunger and destitution in a very short span of time. We all have to learn from the greatest philanthropic personalities in today’s world and set personal examples of philanthropy. We have to be the change we wish to see.

Our initiative is not just to acknowledge the people who are in the limelight, but to recognize those who have made achievements and those who are on their path to success. Our welcoming note to the achievers who believe that progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be.

Hence, Icon Publications is a portal encompassing sites that are dedicated to individuals from various arenas, all towards communicating to the world that these icons deserve to be saluted for all they have rendered to the global society with commitment, integrity and hard work. Our endeavor has been to strive to achieve something close to comprehension across the spectrum.

We salute the true lovers of mankind those who shared their fortune with the rest and brought the world and hastened the step to progress.