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I read with interest the article entitled “Puerto Princesa Underground River: A call for new branding and prestige,” and I feel that the readers of the BusinessMirror deserve the right to know the full picture behind this innacurate and wholly biased opinion piece.
As the organization under whose authority the campaigns to elect the man-made New 7 Wonders of the World, the New 7 Wonders of Nature and the New7Wonders Cities were elected, we take great pride in honoring the over 600 million votes cast worldwide that together, freely and democratically, choose all these New7Wonders.
The opinion piece attempts to compare our New7Wonders Foundation (a self-funded foundation that does not drain government purses, in fact, we generate economic value for our participants) with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (a Paris-based bureaucracy that only exists through massive public subsidies, and, in fact, does so in such an inefficient way that some governments, notably even the US since Obama’s presidency, have stopped funding it all together). Actually, if we compare the voted 21 New7Wonders sites with the 1,000 Unesco selected world heritage sites, in our view the work we do and the work Unesco does is entirely complementary. But let us not fall into the trap of thinking that having a United Nation tag means an organization is pure and perfect, something President Duterte also understands very well. Of course, some UN bodies are exemplary in their work, such as United Nations International Children’s Fund, such as Food and Agriculture Organization, such as UN High commissioner for Refugees and the main UN itself. Unfortunately, the Unesco, especially in the past decade or so, has not moved on with the world. It remains an unreformed post-World War II relic with a semicolonial vision of the planet, secretly choosing heritage sites to protect and police through an opaque conclave of so-called experts (in reality a cabal of bureaucratic lobbyists, oiling themselves and an enriching machinery set up for the few not the many). Contrast this with New7Wonders, a 21st-century empowering and popular freedom platform, letting people choose what they believe are the Wonders. And according to at least four independent studies, also creating incredible economic, tourism, marketing value for the participating and winning locations—value that creates jobs, that brings educational and social development opportunities, and most of all inter-change and greater understanding between peoples.
The Philippines has two voted New7Wonders, Puerto Princesa Underground River and Vigan, proud world achievements of a people and nation that I have grown to admire and respect over the years. Yes, there are the challenges that come with success, but surely it is better to positively and constructively overcome those challenges with the intelligent solutions that are already known, rather than belittle this achievement, rather than asking Pinoys and Pinays to again sit back down and do as you are told. With New7Wonders all our voters have the right to stand, to shout and to be heard.
Finally, for all those who think our mission as New7Wonders is done, I am happy to say that we continue to work with all the Wonders to identify and share opportunities. And we still believe in the right for people to be heard, as witnessed by our new global voting campaign to choose the 7 Symbols of Peace—I invite all readers to visit www.7symbolsofpeace.com, and suggest and vote for your chosen Symbol of Peace. Maybe your own President Duterte, who has cast a new mould in the world of politics, could become one of these Symbols of Peace? As always, we at New7Wonders do not have a say in who are our winners, but you do—vote now.
Jean-Paul de la Fuente
Director
New7Wonders Foundation
Zurich, Switzerland