In 2007
the New7Wonders Foundation contracted a partnership with the
United Nations in recognition of the efforts to promote the UN's
Millennium Development Goals". The UN stated:
“ |
The New7Wonders campaigns
aim to contribute to the process of uplifting the well being and mutual
respect of citizens around the world, through encouraging interaction,
expression of opinion and direct participation by voting and polling on
popular themes and global issues which are understandable to everyone. |
” |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG89iwIjzovgwWS5pR7qa_MRQBEGC04xl5gsUHAK0LDTDYy6f5rm9yfpFsygVEJCpKo6qmCrEo0i8yeCh3JZDRqaO7lNWflCkgs8vriSUHYlMgvqa9IV75Nxm8P5nLrWd7rfSOLahJq03i/s320/no+1.JPG)
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. |
” |
Egypt
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfq-8r27Ia9PqrDWfcL059oQy0RtGW1Zk7_06i1IgjUb7IVKmW55MlV0HF3MKxAwdwjm1stMPbGKoeQ86d1u0Ww8FhyiQjsWaswJ9plBPVPJAs_9hwPBM52jcT2CllmbaNoy7-LhX5k_W/s320/no+2.jpg)
Egyptian commentators viewed it as competition to the status of the
Great Pyramid of Giza, the only surviving monument of the original
Ancient Wonders.
"This is probably a conspiracy against Egypt, its civilization and
monuments", wrote editorialist Al-Sayed al-Naggar in a leading
state-owned daily. Egyptian Culture Minister Farouq Hosni said the
project was "absurd" and described its creator, Weber, as a man
"concerned primarily with self-promotion". Nagib Amin, an Egyptian
expert on
World Heritage Sites, has pointed out that "in addition to the commercial aspect, the vote has no scientific basis."
After the complaints from Egypt, the New7Wonders Foundation
designated the Pyramids of Giza — the only remaining of the 7 Ancient
Wonders of the World — as an Honorary New7Wonders Candidate, and removed
them from the voting. However the Great Pyramid of Giza is not featured
in their official results
Brazil
In Brazil there was a campaign
Vote no Cristo (Vote for the
Christ) which had the support of private companies, namely
telecommunications operators that stopped charging voters to make
telephone calls and SMS messages to vote.
Additionally, leading corporate sponsors including
Banco Bradesco and
Rede Globo spent millions of
reais in the effort to have the statue voted into the top seven.
[3] Newsweek reports the campaign was so pervasive that:
“ |
One morning in June, Rio de
Janeiro residents awoke to a beeping text message on their cell phones:
"Press 4916 and vote for Christ. It's free!" The same pitch had been
popping up all over the city since late January—flashing across an
electronic screen every time city-dwellers swiped their transit cards on
city buses and echoing on TV infomercials that featured a reality-show
celebrity posing next to the city's trademark Christ the Redeemer
statue. |
” |
According to an article in Newsweek, around 10 million Brazilians had voted in the contest by early July.
This number is estimated as the New7Wonders Foundation never released such details about the campaign.