Your will. Your decision.
A Gift of Knowledge That Lives Forever
Thank you for considering leaving a legacy gift to Wikimedia CH. By remembering us in your will, you are making a profound commitment to the values of open knowledge and equal access to information. A legacy gift to Wikimedia CH isn’t just a donation – it’s a lasting declaration that everyone deserves free access to the sum of human knowledge. When you include our association in your will, you make a profound commitment to the values of open knowledge and equal access to information that will live on after you.
“Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That’s what we’re doing.”
Jimmy Wales, former chair of the Wikimedia Foundation and a principal creator of Wikipedia
Our work
Wikimedia CH exists to facilitate the dissemination of free knowledge for an informed and open society. We enable our community of volunteer editors to share information on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia platforms. We also partner with like-minded organisations to make important cultural and educational content freely available and advocate for free knowledge in the political sphere in Switzerland and at the European and global levels.
As a non-profit organisation that does not accept advertising or government funding, we rely on donations from individuals and organisations who share our vision of a more informed society. Tax-deductible legacy gifts allow us to continue this vital work.
Writing your will
To make a bequest, you have to make a will stipulating your final wishes. You can revoke or change it at any time. Your will enables you to leave part of your estate to a cause you believe in. It is important that you make a valid will, so please seek professional advice. There are two options:
- Notarial will
Drawn up in the presence of two witnesses and before a notary or any other person empowered to do so, this document guarantees that your will complies with the law.
- Holographical will
Written entirely in your own hand, this is the simplest kind of will. You should consult a professional, such as a notary, lawyer, bank official or financial consultant to ensure that your will clearly reflects your wishes and complies with the law, especially regarding the entitlements of family members.
If you write your will by hand (holographic will):- Write your full name, date of birth and address, as well as the names and addresses of people and organisations to whom you are leaving bequests.
- Include the amount or the percentage of your assets that you wish to leave to Wikimedia CH.
- For Wikimedia CH, please write: Wikimedia CH, c/o Studio Legale Gilles Benedick, Via Ludovico Ariosto 6, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland.
- Specify the kind of bequest and the item(s) bequeathed.
- Indicate the location and date, then sign the will.
Possibilities and restrictions
In Switzerland, the law is clear about who your heirs will be. However, in a will or contract of succession, you can influence how at least part of your estate will be distributed.
- In the absence of a will
If you have not made a will (known as being “intestate”), your estate will be divided among your legal heirs, i.e. the persons that the law says have the right to inherit your assets. Your legal heirs are your spouse or partner (husband, wife or registered partner) and your closest relatives (your children, or if you have no children, your parents or siblings). They inherit in a predetermined order, according to their statutory succession rights.
If you are not married or in a registered partnership and you have no relatives, your estate goes to the canton or commune of your last place of residence.
- Possibilities and restrictions regarding heritage
By law, the surviving spouse or husband, the descendants and the parents are entitled to receive a minimal part of the succession. It is called the compulsory portion.
It’s up to you
We understand that including a gift in your will is a personal matter that requires time and careful consideration. It is your will. It is your decision.
We appreciate this very special gesture and promise you that:
- We understand that your own family and loved ones come first in your will.
- We will not ask you how big or what type of gift you have chosen to give.
- We will respect your privacy – you do not have to tell us your intentions.
- We will use your gift wisely.
Wikimedia CH develops projects and activities in Switzerland and abroad. We will use your gift to enhance free knowledge and to ensure the reliability of Wikipedia as a platform.
Wikimedia CH is exempt from paying inheritance tax on bequests in Switzerland.
Thank you for considering leaving a legacy gift to Wikimedia CH!
Please contact us!
Ulrich Lantermann
Wikimedia CH
donations@wikimedia.ch