The UAE has secured two nominations in the second phase of the official New7Wonders of Nature campaign. Liwa Oasis and the Empty Quarter have been shortlisted in the Landscapes category of the global initiative, while the Bu Tinah Shoals, a tiny archipelago north of the country, has progressed to the second round in the Islands category.
Online voting is currently taking place and the nominations are constantly being updated in a live rankings table. Liwa Oasis and the Empty Quarter are currently sitting in 14th place while Bu Tinah Shoals is in 26th place in their respective categories.
Crucially, the UAE nominations don't have an Official Supporting Committee (OSC) at present. Without an OSC, a nomination cannot be selected as a finalist. Voting for nominees in the second phase of the competition will continue until July 7.
Tia Viering, head of communications at New7Wonders, said: "I have read a significant amount about the Liwa Oasis and I believe it is a very unique place in the world. The Bu Tinah Shoals are also very beautiful. However, without an official OSC, neither of the UAE nominees can make it into the next round, during which the 21 official finalists will have the eyes of the world on them.? "I think many people have this idea that the desert does not mean a lot - perhaps a lack of understanding of how important a role it has played in the life of the Bedouin over the years. There is great natural beauty in the UAE.
"Abu Dhabi and Dubai are symbols of the country but these cities are not all about duty-free shopping, air conditioning and skyscrapers." The top 77 nominees will be considered for finalist shortlisting by the New7Wonders Panel of Experts, headed by Professor Federico Mayor, the former director-general of UNESCO.
Only 21 nominees will be selected to progress to the Official Finalists round of voting and the official New7Wonders of Nature will finally be announced in 2011.
The New7Wonders Foundation and Campaign was established in 2001 by Swiss-born Canadian filmmaker, author and adventurer Bernard Weber. The project's website states its aim is to contribute to the protection of the world's human-built and natural heritage and to foster respect for the cultural diversity on our planet.
Over 100 million people voted during the foundation's last campaign in July 2007 to find the New7Wonders of the World.
The winners, announced at a declaration ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal were Chichen Itza in Mexico; the Statue of Christ The Redeemer in Brazil; The Colosseum in Italy; The Great Wall of China; India's Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu in Peru and Petra in Jordan.
The New7Wonders project is also asking people to vote for the official host city of the event's finale in 2011. On that occasion, the New Seven Wonders of Nature will be revealed to the world.? For more information on the project and how to vote visit
http://www.new7wonders.com. – Gulf News
