I Wonder

When the call first came out online, I shrugged it off. “Vote for the Palawan Underground River as one of the new 7 Wonders of Nature!” Voting was online, so a lot of these calls were re-tweeted on Twitter or reposted on people’s Facebook status.

I never bothered to vote.

Not because I’m not nationalistic. Not because I’d prefer the Chocolate Hills of Bohol to be the Philippines’ nominee, simply because I’m a Boholano. Not because I have not personally been there and seen the site with my own two eyes.

It’s because I don’t agree that the new 7 Wonders of Nature (or any other 7 Wonders, for that matter) should be decided by popular vote. There should be more thought behind declaring sites as a “world wonder,” more than just mob mentality.

A cursory investigation will reveal that the new 7 Wonders is a private endeavor. Even the UNSECO has disavowed any connection with the new movement (from Wikipedia):

However, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in a press release on June 20, 2007, reaffirmed that it has no link with the “private initiative.” The press release concluded:

‘There is no comparison between Mr. Weber's mediatised campaign and the scientific and educational work resulting from the inscription of sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The list of the 7 New Wonders of the World will be the result of a private undertaking, reflecting only the opinions of those with access to the Internet and not the entire world. This initiative cannot, in any significant and sustainable manner, contribute to the preservation of sites elected by this public.’
—UNESCO

Makes me wonder what really is the true motive behind this new 7 Wonders movement.

(Here’s an interesting article: http://www.goseewrite.com/2011/11/new-7-wonders-world-scam-behind-sham/)