Starting here tomorrow, and continuing until the end of the year, we’ll be presenting a review of the New7Wonders of Nature Official Inaugurations ceremonies that took place around the world this year. Our voyage in the coming days will take us from the Philippines to Peru and from Vietnam to South Africa. Along the way, we’ll visit Argentina and Brazil.
This will be a joyful journey filled with images that reflect the pride felt by the custodians of the sites that were elected to the “canon of 7” by millions of voters following the four-year global campaign which ended on 11 November 2011. The inaugurations, the ceremonies and the sites are now part of Global Memory and available for all to enjoy as part of our natural heritage as celebrated by New7Wonders.
A highlight of each Official Inauguration event is the unveiling of a commemorative bronze plaque. These unique artifacts are made by the Kunstgießerei München, a foundry in the heart of Munich, Germany, where they are cast using a combination of art and craft that dates back to ancient times.
Bernard Weber, Founder-President of New7Wonders, has been involved in all stages of the plaque-making process, from the design to the application of the patina finish. “I felt very privileged to witness a process that humans have been doing for over 4,000 years. It’s just amazing,” he said as he watched the plaques being made.
Our journey begins tomorrow in the Philippines and features images and video from the celebrations that surrounded the unveiling of these plaques in the capital Manila and in Palawan Province, where the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR), one of the New7Wonders of Nature is located. We invite you join the expedition.