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No selection of Angkor Wat undermines the credibility of the New Seven Wonders of the World

It saddens me to announce that Angkor Wat is not news "Seven Wonders the world "as determined by the online campaign Bernard Weber.

Like previous attempts to name the seven wonders of the world, is seriously flawed and arbitrary. The new method is based on the electronic votes cast by Internet and text messages.

The seven new wonders were announced July 7, 2007 Lisbon, Portugal in a celebrity-studded ceremony televised in over 170 countries to an estimated 1.6 million viewers. The winners are:

* The Great China Wall
* India Taj Mahal
* Former city of Petra in Jordan
* Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru
* Statue of Christ Redeemer, Brazil
* Pyramid of Chichen Itza in Mexico
* Italy Colosseum

Of these, only the Great Wall, which stretches over 4,000 kilometers and is the only human structure visible from space, it is evident part of the list.

Like many of the 100 million votes from Latin America, is not surprising that the Machu Picchu in Peru, Brazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer and Mexico's Chichen Itza on the list.

However, it is difficult to conceive how one of these sites could reach Angkor Wat in a selection process fair and objective. For example, 100 feet of the statue of Christ Redeemer in Brazil is only 75 years and is only 10 years to build. However, Angkor Wat, the largest religious temple in the world, more than 800 years and covering over 200 acres of land.

The vote allowed a free vote for members enrolled and pay a fee further voting. In Brazil, there was a voting campaign without Christ (Vote for Christ), which had the support of telecommunications companies the country to allow Brazilians to vote text message for free. The vote "for Christ" slogan, which can be seen on stickers in North America, it seems the people called to vote their religious faith rather than architectural qualities of the statue. If you are a Christian, I think it would be difficult not to vote for Christ.

Previous attempts to name the Seven Wonders had favored the Greco-Roman structures. The Great Pyramids Giza was removed from the ballot, but still was honored as "Honorary candidate" to appease the anger Egyptians that your site should be included automatically instead of having to vote. As if the credibility of the ballot was already undermined by its own methodology and dubious results, there are actually eight wonders in the list of seven, counting the great pyramids "special status of honor.

Maybe we should require similar honor Cambodian Angkor Wat special and as it clearly dwarf many of the current selections in size, architectural splendor and refinement. After all, if there's already eight "wonders" in the list of seven, it is difficult to have nine, ten, or twenty, even?

I had some doubts about the vote from the beginning because Cambodia has a population of only 14 million compared to 522 million U.S. dollars in Latin America and over one billion each in China and India. In addition, Internet access is very limited and expensive in Cambodia. For example, broadband access costs about $ 900 unlimited per month, not an insignificant amount of the rules, but an astronomical sum in a country with per capita income is less than $ 400 per year. Internet usage is largely limited to foreigners and Cambodians in English pubs Internet users paid hourly wages.

Despite the small Cambodian population and very limited Internet access, Angkor Wat thought would be no problem with the seven wonders list the number of Asian tourists visiting Angkor each year. In fact, while the two most populous countries, China and India each had their sites, the Great Wall and the Taj Mahal, respectively, selected, Asians tend not to vote as a unified bloc.

While the selection of the "Seven Wonders" is useless and worthless since a scientific perspective, the sensationalism surrounding this absurd huge company could have serious and far-reaching. Cambodia, a poor country still reeling by decades of civil war and genocide, relied heavily on tourism revenue to recover. Besides being an insult to the Cambodian people everywhere marginalization Angkor could gnaw desperately needed U.S. dollars generated by cultural tourism in the country.

Although the United Nations Organisation for Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the world body to oversee the restoration of World Heritage sites, has strongly rejected the Swiss-born Bernard Weber project and said they reflect "only the opinions of those who have Internet access," the band created by the mass campaign could lead to public confusion about the true identity of the Seven Wonders of the World are those to which the reallocation of funds for restoration of harmful sites that really deserve less dignity.

If there is no such thing as the eighth wonder of the world, would be Angkor Wat, but the simple fact that this beautiful monument was not included among the Seven Wonders. Anyone who has visited Angkor Wat can attest to its grandeur, the sublime beauty and architectural splendor. In fact, Angkor Wat is one of the many temples in an archeological zone that extends square miles to about 400. The complex, known collectively as "Angkor" (meaning "city" in the Khmer language), is home to Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom Bayon temple, many other magnificent remains of the once powerful Khmer empire ruled from the 9th to the 15th century. While Angkor Wat is the largest and most beautiful of all, Angkor Thom and Bayon, could have been nominated for seven wonders too.

But do not take my word for it – going to visit Angkor and judge yourself or does not belong to Angkor Wat Seven Wonders of the World list.

About the Author

Oudam Em is a Cambodian-American blogger committed to using the internet to promote Khmer pride, unity and prosperity.

Mosaic News – 4/20/10: World News From The Middle East