The Great Wall of China, along with six other places of
interest, was further immortalized by being named as part of the
"New Seven Wonders of the World" on July 7 at a grand show in
Lisbon, Portugal. Over 90 million people cast their votes for the
iconic monuments in an international poll launched by a Swiss
adventurer in 2001.
The new Seven Wonders of the World are: The Great Wall of China,
Machu Picchu in Peru, Petra in Jordan, the Statue of Christ the
Redeemer in Brazil, the Chichen Itza pyramid in Mexico, the
Colosseum in Rome, and the Taj Mahal in India.
Portugal put on a wondrous event to showcase the new wonders at
Lisbon's Benfica stadium, inviting several international
celebrities such as the New7Wonders Panel of Experts as well as
former UNESCO Director-General. Federico Mayor Zaragoza, US singers
Jennifer Lopez and Chaka Khan, Portugese soccer star Cristiano
Ronaldo, Indian actress Bipasha Basu, Spanish tenor José Carreras,
Portuguese singer Dulce Pontes, US actress Hilary Swank, British
actor Ben Kingsley and former US astronaut Neil Armstrong to
perform or present the awards.
Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber set up the "New Seven World
Wonders" contest in 2001 to allow the world a chance "to review how
major world civilizations grew, and to appreciate its collective
cultural heritage".
New7Wonders Foundation President and Founder Bernard Weber and
Amir Dossal, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for
Partnerships, unveiled plaques for all finalists, at a gala
orchestrated by Olympic ceremony veteran Jacques Lemay.
Bernard Weber noted that, "The people of the world have created
global memory–7 placed that everyone will remember."
The original "Seven Wonders of the World" were said to be chosen
by the Greek philosopher Herodotus of the Philon more than 2,000
years ago and all lay in the Mediterranean region. Today, six of
the original seven have been swept away by the winds of time,
namely the Colossus of Rhodes, the Statue of Zeus, the Hanging
Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis, the Mausoleum at
Halicarnassus and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The only one to
remain – the Great Pyramid at Giza – automatically retains its
status alongside the new seven.
"The world will have eight wonders come July 8, one remaining
wonder from the ancient world and seven new ones," Tia B. Viering,
spokesperson for the New Seven Wonders campaign, said the day
before the winners were announced.
However, the campaign to crown 7 new wonders has been dogged
with controversy. The Egyptian government officially rebuked the
campaign and called for a boycott of the poll while UNESCO
distanced itself, saying it would unfairly reflect the opinions of
a select few.
The Great Wall of China was the first inductee announced by Neil
Armstrong at the gala. Two months ago, rumors spread that the Great
Wall might drop out of the top 7 due to a lack of publicity in
China. However, organizers told China.org.cn that the China Great
Wall Society held a press conference at the foot of Great Wall in
late May and asked tourists and Chinese citizens alike to vote for
the landmark.
Other nominated candidates which did not make the final cut were
the Acropolis in Athens, the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower in
Paris, the Moais on Chile's Easter Island, Australia's Sydney Opera
House, Cambodia's Angkor Wat, Spain's Alhambra, Turkey's Hagia
Sophia, Japan's Kiyomizu Temple, Russia's Kremlin and St. Basil's
Cathedral, Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle, Britain's Stonehenge
and Mali's Timbuktu. However, all these will officially bear the
titles of New 7 Wonders Finalists.
Bernard Weber said that his purpose was to promote cultural
diversity by allowing people to realize the value of their heritage
and to renew a desire to support, preserve and restore monuments.
His foundation will use 50 percent of net revenue from the project
to fund restoration efforts around the world, including rebuilding
the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan, which were tragically blown up
by the Taliban in 2000.
At the end of yesterday's ceremony, Weber announced the start of
a new campaign to crown the seven natural wonders of the world.
The 7 New Wonders of the World are:
Click here to see the photos of the 7 New Wonders
of the World
The Great Wall of China
The world's longest man-made structure, the wall snakes
across northern China for around 6,400 kilometers and was first
constructed to protect the northern borders of the Chinese empire
from invaders. First built in the 5th century BC, it was added to
by following dynasties up until the 16th century.
Petra
Lying in the Jordanian valley running from the Dead Sea to
the Gulf of Aqaba, the site of Petra is famed for its many red-hued
buildings carved into the very rock. The Monastery, as the site's
oldest structure, dates back to the first century BC, and was
devoted to the Nabataean god, Obodas.
Christ the Redeemer
Overlooking the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro from the
top of Mt. Corcovado, the statue of Christ the Redeemer has become
famed as one of the strongest symbols of Christianity. Standing 32
meters tall, it was commissioned in 1921 by the Archdiocese of Rio
de Janeiro.
Machu Picchu
Nestled in the Peruvian mountains, the 600-year-old city of Machu
Picchu has captured the imagination of the world since being
brought to fame by explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911. Lying at the
heart of the former Incan Empire, Machu Picchu escaped detection
and destruction from the Spanish conquistadors, allowing it to
remain relatively well-preserved.
Chichen Itza
Built in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, the site of Chichen
Itza was an important economic and political center of the Maya
civilization. Rising to prominence in around 600AD, Chichen Itza is
characterized by its famous multi-tiered ziggurat.
Colosseum
The only European representative in the New Wonders, the Colosseum
is perhaps the most poignant reminder of the former glory of the
Roman Empire. Built in the center of the Italian capital, the
amphitheatre was completed in 80AD and used for gladiatorial game
and other public spectacles.
Taj Mahal
Considered one of the finest monuments to love in the world, the
Taj Mahal was built as a mausoleum by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for
his deceased wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in 1648. Its shimmering white
marble has entranced visitors for centuries while legend states
that a slight fault in the curvature of its dome was made
deliberately since Islamic faith states only Allah can create
perfection on Earth.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Rui and Chris Dalby, July 8, 2007)
