Skip to content

Komodo

Komodo may be suspended from New7Wonders of Nature campaign

Zurich, Switzerland, 31 January 2011

Komodo may be suspended
Komodo may be suspended

The New7Wonders Foundation has begun the process of suspending the Indonesian candidate Komodo as one of the 28 Finalists in the Official New7Wonders of Nature campaign. “We have been forced to take this action after weeks of unproductive private and official discussions aiming to resolve an important legal matter positively,” said Bernard Weber, President of the New7Wonders Foundation.

The principal reasons Weber cited for this dramatic move were a legally binding contract for the New7Wonders Official Host in Jakarta on 11 November that is not being honoured, and the slow response by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to back up its many public and documented statements of support for the campaign.

In a personal letter to the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Bernard Weber appealed for a speedy resolution of the issue: “I believe you have the vision, courage and capacity to resolve an issue that is close to the heart of many Indonesians,” he said.

“I can pledge to you now that as soon as things are brought back on track we will immediately halt the suspension process and re-instate Komodo as an authorised Finalist in the Official New7Wonders of Nature campaign,” the letter continued. But Weber left no doubt about the outcome if an agreement is not reached: “However, should a solution not be forthcoming then we will have to proceed with the complete withdrawal of Komodo and its replacement by another nominee from the official Reserve List. We are seeking all avenues in respect of our contractual rights to avoid this ultimate and final step.”

To emphasize the impact of a possible suspension, Weber pointed to the benefits that the first campaign to elect the man-made Official New 7 Wonders of the World delivered. That campaign climaxed in a spectacular event in Lisbon, Portugal, on 7 July 2007, and a study concluded that more than US$5 billion in terms of economic, tourism and national brand value were generated as a result. He noted that the selection of the Official New7Wonders of Nature by an expected 1 billion votes is as significant an event as the football World Cup final, and comparable to the Olympic opening ceremony and the Academy Awards.

Indonesia’s Komodo National Park includes the three larger islands Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller ones, for a total area of 1,817 square kilometers (603 square kilometers of it land). The national park was founded in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon. Later, it was also dedicated to protecting other species, including marine animals.

Latest News

New7Wonders continues, find out how in our News Room

Bernard Weber & New 7 Wonders featured in Switzerland’s number one magazine

Zürich, 10 October 2023 The number one magazine in Switzerland publishes a cover article honouring the New 7 Wonders movement Founder-President, Bernard Weber. Coop magazine, with a readership of 3 million in a nation of 9 million inhabitants, also tells the story about how the world’s first ever global voting campaign for the New 7 … Continued

New7Wonders Wonder Marker at the Great Wall celebrated across Chinese News Media

Beijing and Zurich, 10 July 2023 The official unveiling of the New7Wonders Wonder Marker on 7 Wonders Day 2023 at the Great Wall has been widely reported across mainstream and social mobile media throughout China, recognising and celebrating the importance of this historic moment. Video news reports, distributed through the main mobile news portals that … Continued

Great Wall of China Unveils New7Wonders of the World “Wonder Marker”

Beijing and Zurich, 7 July 2023 Today marked the unveiling of the Wonder Marker, the 3 metre high signpost that celebrates the Great Wall of China as one of the official New 7 Wonders of the World (N7W) as chosen by a global public vote.  The ceremony took place at Huangyaguan Great Wall, Tianjin Province, … Continued

Great Wall of China to Unveil New7Wonders of the World “Wonder Marker”

Beijing and Zurich, 5 July 2023 On Friday, July 7, the Great Wall of China will unveil the “Wonder Marker,” the official symbol created by the New7Wonders Foundation (N7W) to honour the seven most remarkable historic sites on earth.    The unveiling will take place at Huangyaguan Great Wall, Tianjin Province, one of the most … Continued

The New 7 Wonders of the World celebrate 15 years

The New 7 Wonders of the World celebrate their 15th anniversary on 7 July 2022, as this is the date when the Wonders were announced at the official declaration ceremony that took place in Lisbon, Portugal in 2007. On a historic night on an equally historic date, 7/7/7 – the 7th of July 2007 – … Continued