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Peru: Machu Picchu is named one of the New 7 Wonders

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(LIP-ir) -- The sacred Incan Sanctuary, located in Qosqo, Peru -¨bellybutton of the world¨- , is now one of the New 7 Wonders of the world. Machu Picchu, pride of every Peruvian, was chosen as one of the New 7 Wonders in a spectacular event held at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal today.

Machu Picchu was first chosen as one of the 21 finalists for the New 7 Wonders contest, organized by the New Open World Corporation (NOWC). It was among other internationally recognized architectural wonders such as: Mexico with Chichen Itze, Brazil with Christ the Redeemer, Chile with Easter Island Moais and Spain with Alhambra.

Before the New 7 Wonders were presented it was announced that the list was not given in any special order and that the seven were greatly appreciated. The Great Wall of China was the first to be named followed by the Petra ruins in Jordan and Christ the Redeemer in Brazil.

Machu Picchu was the fourth to be announced followed by Chichén-Itzá in México, the Roman Colosseum in Italy and the Taj Mahal in India.

Although contest organizers do not want to release how many votes each monument received it was stated that over 100 million votes were cast through the internet and over the phone.

The huge event, compared by some to the opening of the Olympics, was hosted by British actor Ben Kingsley, American actress Hilary Swank and one of Asia's sexiest women, Indian supermodel/Bollywood actress, Bipasha Basu. The contest was broadcast to over 170 countries and is estimated to have had a viewing audience of 1.6 million.

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# Gupta says :
7 July, 2007 [ 19:35 ]

Bipasha Basu is a Bollywood actress in India. I think that credit deserves to be mentioned, since the article mentions the American and British actors. 

# Clare says :
7 July, 2007 [ 19:36 ]

Tengo el orgullo de ser Peruana y soy feliz, de haber nacido en esta hermosa tierra del Sol..... que feliz que feliz de veras. 

VIVA EL PERU...CARAJO!

# Luciana says :
7 July, 2007 [ 20:00 ]

Amazing Prize for an amazing inca paradise. Machu Picchu rocks my world

# Connie C says :
7 July, 2007 [ 20:24 ]

Viva el Peru and Machupicchu!!! I knew it would win. I am so happy that Machupicchu has finally been recognized worldwide. I love Peru and I love the fact that this will help boost the turism in Peru and therefore will help our economy.  

# Israel says :
7 July, 2007 [ 23:33 ]

You are absolutely right Gupta, corrections have been made.

# ENRIQUE BALBI FLOYD says :
8 July, 2007 [ 04:19 ]

HOLA TODO EL MUNDO SOY PERUANO ,,,QUE VIVA EL PERU,,,POR SIEMPRE ,,,MACHU PICCHU NUESTRO PATRIMONIO CULTURAL ,,ESPERO QUE NUESTRO PAIS NO PARE  DE SU CRECIMIENTO ECONOMICO Y CULTURAL ,,ESPERANDO NOS VISITEN EL MUNDO ESTERO LOS VAMOS A RECIBIR CON MUCHO AMOR,,,,UN SALUDO ESPECIAL AL GRAN ROGER WATERS POR TENER A BIEN VISITARNOS EN MARZO PASADO Y BRINDARMOS SU MAGIA CREATIVA THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON  EN LIMA FUE ALGO NUNCA VISTO EN NUESTRA PATRIA DIOS QUIERA PODAMOS VER A PINK FLOYD Y DAVID GILMOUR EN VIVO ALGUN DIA

UN ABRAZO PARA TODOS CUIDEMOS EL PLANETA SIEMPRE VERDE VERDE ,,,,,VERDE, SIEMPRE VERDE .........

# Lena from U.K. says :
8 July, 2007 [ 09:01 ]

I voted via the internet from the very start for Machu PIcchu to become one of the New Wonders of the World. We visited this wonderful site last year and are busy planning a second trip. You only have to see the number of people just gazing at this place in amazment to fully understand why the right choice has been made. Very WELL DONE Peru.

# Mike says :
8 July, 2007 [ 10:08 ]

You know, the whole "contest" is actually a business.  There is nothing "official" about it.  Anyone, with enough money to vote, could have their preference win.

And many could vote for free more than once!

This isn't a slight towards Machu Picchu - it's wonderful, but I think it is bizarre that so many people were suckered into this.

Read and learn!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_7_wonders

Not to mention that only people with internet access could vote.....

# fatima says :
8 July, 2007 [ 12:08 ]

es un orgullo y alegria saber que Machu Pichu es elegido una de las maravillas del mundo, me siento tan contenta, de que mi pais sea finalemnte reconocido mundialmente y ademas no solo porque tiene a machu pichu, Peru tiene mas que eso es uno de los paises que tiene todos los paisajes del mundo somos muy dichoso de poseer mucha riqueza aqui ademas a su gente es muy amable, y los chicos y chicas son hermosos y a todos los turistas que deseen venir a visitarnos haganlo quedaran fasinados de la belleza que tenemos!.
BRAVO por mi pais........y a todos los envidiosos de otros paises, ya recononoscan de una vez que mi Pais tiene todo, ya es hora!!! :)

# Tima says :
8 July, 2007 [ 12:25 ]

Machu picchu the best in the whole wolrd!!!!!!!! i'm so happy that the wolrd recognize that Machu Picchu is the Wonder of the Word :)
i'm peruvian and i can tell you that my country no only has Machu Pichu it has more than that, it has many rich things and beautiful views good climate and the people ir very friendly here are beutifuls womans and mens.
so for all the tourists of the wolrd, if u wanna come to here for ur vacations u'll love my country.
and for all the envious ones who don't recognize that my country is beautiful this is hour to do it!!!! kisses bye

# Antoinette Woolard says :
9 July, 2007 [ 06:03 ]

I'm so proud to be Peruvian

# Clare_Ashworth says :
20 July, 2007 [ 02:05 ]

Mike, where are  you from?  from a country that lost in the count?  Regardless of if this contest is "oficial" or  not, what is valid here is the fact that many more people than Peruvians voted for Macchu Picchu.  If you are that smart do the math and figure it out.  The fact that people from other countries voted for Macchu PicchuVALIDATES that Macchu Pichu is admired and its value recognized. 

# Paul Seville says :
20 July, 2007 [ 03:27 ]

@Clare: ummm, the fact that people from other countries (most of whom have never BEEN to even ONE of the new 7 wonders) voted on the basis of absolutely NOTHING but online photos (ie. not based on any archeological, historical, cultural, technical knowledge whatsoever), validates that the whole thing is just a fiasco and a few people made lots of $$ from hyping it, that's all.

In case you're not aware, the OLD 7 wonders are still the OFFICIAL 7 wonders (or would we prefer to erase those hugely historical landmarks from our minds, whether they exist or not?). The fact that Christ Redeemer in Brasil made the top 7 ought to be enough proof for you that this thing was all about which countries had the most internet and cellphone access, and which countries bothered to even promote the contest (or pay a little somethin' extra to the promoters for a better chance).

Want to know the funniest part? In a few months, I bet this entire new 7 wonders thing will be forgotten (as it should be since it's nothing but a marketing stunt). Tourism will not magically increase because outside of the 20 countries that were nominated, the contest has been largely tuned out. Machu Picchu is great, in my opinion it should be promoted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which it is anyway... and if some of you bother to look at the UNESCO sites, you might realize that some of the most extraordinary places on earth were completely ignored by the new 7 wonders organizers. Hmmm, I wonder why?.... oh, that's right!... not enough people with cellphones and internet there, can't make any money nominating places like that! Brasil and that statue though.... (???)

Just for the record, as I said I think Machu Picchu is a great thing to see... what I have a problem with is the people who voted for something that's just made to fill someone else's pockets and now want to gloat over how the entire world is supposedly acknowledging their 'wonder' as one of the top places to see. I thought people were smarter than that. Oh well...

After all the online minutes invested, all the SMS charges, and the bought extra votes, more than half of Peru is still poor... now if people and the government put all that money towards priorities like a solution for poverty, then yes, I think that really would've been a WONDER!

# Mike says :
20 July, 2007 [ 05:36 ]

Here, here Paul!

Thanks - could not have said it better myself.

Macchu Picchu is an important place - but that is aside from whole stupid marketing gimmick the "new 7 wonders" was.  My prediction is that tourism will continue to increase there - and would have whether this marketing thing happened or not.

I have asked 20 people, with regular internet access in the USA, so far (yes, I keep a tally) whether they voted or not in the "contest."  So far it is 18 "no" (they didn't even know what I was talking about), 1 "I heard about it, but no", and 1 "yes".

Many of these people travel outside of the US on a regular basis (once a year or more).

Seems with my informal poll so far, the marketing project has had dismal results anyway.

# Phillip says :
23 September, 2008 [ 23:05 ]

Arriba Peru Carajo!

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