07/07/07 (continued)...

Today at a glittering show in Lisbon's Benfica stadium, Portugal, the "New 7 Wonders of the World." were unveiled as follows:

• The Great Wall of China
• Machu Picchu in Peru
• Brazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer
• The Colosseum in Rome
• Jordan's Petra
• The Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza in Mexico
• India's Taj Mahal

There have been other lists of seven wonders. For example, in 1994 the American Society of Civil Engineers listed their 7 wonders of the modern world as the Channel Tunnel, the CN Tower, the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, Itaipu Dam, Delta Works and the Panama Canal.

In 2006 USA Today and "Good Morning America" chose Tibet's Potala Palace, the Old City of Jerusalem, the Polar ice caps, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument, the Internet, the Mayan ruins in Mexico and the Great Migration of Serengeti and Masai Mara in Tanzania and Kenya.

This global campaign for the new wonders has been arranged by the non-profit New7Wonders Foundation and is the brainchild of a Swiss-Canadian filmmaker, museum curator and explorer, Bernard Weber. Virtually anyone with access to the Internet or a mobile phone has been invited to vote and thus far, the search for the new wonders has attracted votes from approx. 100 million people, according to the organisers.
However the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) - which has its own World Heritage List - has criticised the organisation's approach.
"The New7Wonders is more directed towards commercial purposes than the conservation of heritage," Unesco spokesperson Sue Williams told the BBC. Unesco also argues that the list is very limited. Its own World Heritage List numbers sites including 660 cultural and 166 natural.

Meanwhile on the seventh day of the seventh month of the seventh year of the millennium, Bookmakers are bracing themselves for an influx of bets. Registrars are also reporting a huge surge in the number of couples getting married. The number seven is believed by some to have mystical powers or bring luck and holds significance for some religions. Pythagoreans considered seven a perfect number, because it is made up of three and four, the sides of the triangle and the square. Buddhists believe in seven reincarnations. Kwanzaa is celebrated by lighting seven candles.

Sadly today has a darker significance for us Londoners. A remembrance service has been held for those killed in the 7 July bombings two years ago at a memorial garden to the victims. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, London mayor Ken Livingstone and Olympics and London Minister Tessa Jowell joined relatives at King's Cross. The Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe - in London for the Tour de France Grand Depart - also attended.

Finally, today has been "Live Earth" day, organised by former US Vice-President Al Gore, as part of his campaign to try to "heal the planet." More than 60,000 fans crowded into the new Wembley Stadium, as 24 hours of music stretched over seven continents to raise awareness of global warming. Concerts were also held in Washington, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, New Jersey, Hamburg, Tokyo, Shanghai and Sydney, watched by an estimated global audience of 2 billion people. However Live Earth day has been accused of hypocrisy due to performers who fly around the world on tours to push the message of cutting down on carbon emissions.
Global vote picks Seven Wonders
Ceremony to mark 7/7 anniversary
Concerts promote climate message
Triple-seven fever grips the US