It’s a list learned then fast forgotten: Great Pyramid of Giza. Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Statue of Zeus at Olympia.
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. Colossus of Rhodes. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.
and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. On July 7, the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World will pass along their coveted title to a new seven wonders of the world, a list compiled by votes from everyday people around the globe. “If we achieve, with this first global vote, that we create some symbols of unity that honor and respect the difference of our cultures, thus creating this global memory, I think then we will have achieved a great, great feat,” New7Wonders Foundation founder Bernard Weber told Radio New Zealand National in April.
With just more than two weeks left in its voting period, the contest has already inspired more than 60 million people to submit votes online and by phone throughout the year and marks one of the most inclusive global polls ever conducted, Reuters reports. With title acclaim serving as a boost for both national tourism and puffery, countries worldwide have seized on the opportunity, Peru setting up free computer terminals to encourage votes for the inclusion of Machu Picchu and Mexico pandering to millions of gamers by creating a virtual simulation of Chichén Itzá. Leading the way are usual suspects the Taj Mahal, the Roman Colosseum and the Statues of Easter Island, although until voting closes out the night of July 6, modern underdogs such as the Statue of Liberty and the Sydney Opera House may still claim a place on a list which has—and will continue to— captivate the collective imagination.
Cast your vote at www.new7wonders.com.
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