“New” 7 Wonders of the World?

I read with skepticism today about a new worldwide initiative to select 7 “new” wonders of the world.

The “New7Wonders Foundation”, which is the body behind the New7Wonders campaign, has the express aim of documenting, maintaining, restoring and reconstructing world heritage under the motto:

“OUR HERITAGE IS OUR FUTURE.”

After perusing the website, I finally found a section where you can find out how this project got started.  The preface tells the reader about how one man, Philon of Byzantium, in 200 B.C. solely selected the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World and that it is time for the people of the world to choose the new 7 Wonders of the World.  Then readers go on to discover that one man, Bernard Weber, a wealthy filmmaker, museum curator, aviator, and explorer, created this project and financed the beginnings of the campaign, which developed a panel to select the “finalists” in this contest.  The campaign is billed as a global movement as participants will be “making history”.

Then I discovered this link on the website:  Business Opportunities. 

New7Wonders is a truly global movement, combining mass-media reach with global interactivity and in-market events. A worldwide communications agency has calculated awareness amongst the world’s population already at 25% – this can only grow.
If you would like to be associated with this campaign in a commercial capacity, as a sponsor, event, media or other licensee, then please review the relevant categories in this section and use the contact form to communicate with us.
Information packs for each of the categories are available.
Unique business benefits are available with New7Wonders – together we can make marketing and commercial history!

On the surface, this project is exciting and appealing.  However as you dig deeper into the project, one discovers that it seems to really be a project that may possibly line the pockets of some already rich people.

So I’m still skeptical of this campaign.