See also: seven wonders of the world (homonymy), seven wonders of the world, Wonders of the world (homonymy), Wonders of the world

The Seven new wonders of the world were indicated following a vote, organized by the New Seven Wonders Foundation , been dependant on the New Open World Corporation , and whose results were revealed on July 7th, 2007 (7/7/07) with Lisbon.
Ce vote made it possible to indicate seven wonders, buildings or sites, which are added to the seven existing wonders, whose list was drawn up in Antiquity, and who made in hellenistic reference majority to the world. The objective is a greater visibility (tourism, protection) of the seven sites thus promoted.
L' Swiss business man Bernard Weber is, in collaboration with the company of Deureka marketing, at the origin of this project which meets a great success in certain countries concerned, like the India or the China. UNESCO recalled in an official statement that it does not have any relationship with this event, as opposed to what much of voters believed.

Sites in competition

The list contained 21 sites or buildings, located in 21 country, on all the continents. The criteria of the jury (compound of architects of all horizons, and chaired by the former director of UNESCO, Federico Mayor) included/understood esthetics, but also the architectural exploit, or the historical relevance. The 21 candidates were selected in a list which was proposed by the countries, each one being able to propose the candidature of several monuments (the India, for example, proposed about fifty temples and palates disseminated on all its territory). The list of the 21 was finally drawn up within the 77 which collected the most voice. It is supposed to represent a broad choice of civilizations and times. Thus, one finds there wonders dating from Antiquity, and others of the 20th century. Just like the wonders of Antiquity, the named monuments have a crowned function, or purely esthetics. They are not “useful” works of art (bridges, stoppings,…), which, even if they are true technical exploits, has an esthetic and cultural interest more limited.

Result on more than one hundred million votes

Nominations

Votes

The votes are carried out by Internet, on the site new7wonders, or by telephone, in order to give to each one a chance to return in the history. One can vote several times against payment.

With the collected benefit, the " New7Wonders Foundation" intend to pour half for the financing of building sites of restoration in the whole world, as for example Bouddhas of Bâmiyân that the talibans had exploded at the time of their reign in Afghanistan. The " NewOpenWorld Foundation" dealt with the vote, the " NewOpenWorld Corporation" holds the rights and exploits them for its own benefit.

The votes were officially open at the time of the Olympic Games of Sydney, demonstration of Greek origin, just like the Seven Wonders. Several tens of million votes were recorded, especially in countries like the Mexico, the China, the Turkey and the India particularly.

Critical

In a press release of June 20th, 2007, the United Nations for education, science and the culture (UNESCO) reaffirms that it does not have any bond with the initiative of Mr. Bernard Weber since the result will reflect the opinion of those which have access to the Internet.

A paragraph of the official statement known as: “There is no point of comparison between the media step of Mr. Weber and the scientific and educational work resulting from the inscription of the sites on the Liste of the world heritage. The list of the 7 new wonders will be the fruit of an private initiative, reflecting only the opinion of a public having access to the Internet, and not that of the world as a whole. This step will be able in no manner of contributing to a significant degree and durable to safeguarding of the sites elected by this public.”

Some in Egypt see there a competition with the Grande Pyramid of Khéops, the only monument remaining of the seven wonders of the world: " It is probably a conspiracy against Egypt, its civilization and its monuments, " leader-writer Al-Sayed Al-Naggar in a daily newspaper wrote. The Minister for the Egyptian culture Farouq Hosnia says that the project absurd and is described its initiator, Bernard Weber, like a man " concerned with its clean promotion". Nagib Amin, an Egyptian expert of the seven wonders of the world, emphasizes does it " that in addition to the commercial aspect, the vote does not have any base scientifique."

After the complaints of Egypt, the Pyramide of Khéops was seen granting a special statute and was withdrawn from the list of vote. On the official Web site: " The foundation of the seven new wonders of the world indicates the pyramid of Khéops - only old still existing wonder of the world - as an honorary, and withdrawn candidate of the list.

The system of voting per Internet and message text via cellular also was very criticized. Indeed, the people having access to none of both could not vote. Moreover, this system of voting could be exploited by certain governments and companies in order to have publicity for certain places tourist using various programs. For example, in Brazil, this program was called " Vote No Cristo" (to vote for Christ), it made it possible all the Brazilian population to vote free via a cell phone. This program made it possible to accumulate most of the 10 million votes recorded in Brazil. Similar programs were launched to India and Jordan. Moreover, the case of Jordan is pointed finger as being the perfect example of the faults of the system of voting. Indeed, 14 million votes was recorded in this country in spite of the fact that the Jordanian population reaches only 7 million individuals

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