2,000 years later, global vote to pick world's new Seven Wonders

A worldwide vote lets the people decide on the globe's most awe-inspiring structures.

By Andrew Downie | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor

from the June 29, 2007 edition

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Rio De Janeiro - In the bid to have their iconic statue recognized as one of the new "Seven Wonders of the World," Brazilians have embraced a global competition with open arms.

The statue of Christ the Redeemer, which overlooks Rio de Janeiro, is one of the favorites to become a modern wonder in an international contest that has already attracted 70 million votes.

The competition, which is organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Bernard Weber, a Swiss-Canadian filmmaker and author, allows people from across the world to choose from 21 monuments, narrowed down from an original list of 177 in 2005.

The goal of the vote is to redefine the original seven wonders, which were established more than 2,000 years ago by Greek scholars. In the intervening millennia, more than just the field of candidates has changed. The race to be in the top seven has taken on a decidedly democratic twist with a worldwide constituency.

"The first ever global vote has taken place," says Tia Viering, head of communications for the New Seven Wonders Foundation. "The fact that people are participating in such numbers shows that there's this desire to come together."

The field of contenders include ancient buildings like the Colosseum in Rome, modern architectural gems like the Sydney Opera House, iconic statues like the Statue of Liberty, and even whole cities like Timbuktu in Mali.

In India, a popular singer is touring the country singing an original song about the Taj Mahal to generate votes. In Peru, the government has set up computer terminals in public areas to enable citizens to vote for Machu Picchu. In Mexico, bus companies have put ads for Chichen Itza on the side of their vehicles.

The original Seven Wonders of the World were chosen from a host of spectacular monuments in and around the Mediterranean more than 2000 years ago. Only one, the Great Pyramids of Giza outside Cairo, still stands.

Its status of possessing the only surviving wonder may be why Egypt has been so reluctant to defend its title. Some Egyptian scholars have protested that the world's greatest historical structures should be chosen by experts and academics. After formal protests from Egypt's Ministry of Culture and Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mr. Weber withdrew the pyramids from his competition, instead making them an Honorary New7Wonders Candidate.

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