The Qatari capital of Doha has been shortlisted as one of 14 finalists in a competition to determine the world’s most seven wondrous cities.
Doha is the only GCC city to be make it this far in a global campaign called New7Wonders, which is asking voters to weigh in before announcing the winners on Dec. 7.
Qatar’s capital is competing against the following 13 finalists:
Barcelona (Spain), Beirut (Lebanon), Chicago (United States), Durban (South Africa), Havana (Cuba), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), La Paz (Bolivia), London (England), Mexico City (Mexico), Perth (Australia), Quito (Ecuador), Reykjavik (Iceland), Vigan (Philippines).
In a recently released statement announcing the finalists, Eamonn Fitzgerald, head of communication at New7Wonders, said:
“The shortlist will now help voters to focus their understanding of a key trend shaping our world today: urbanization. Whether it is innovation or income inequality, or migration or mass transport, some of the most provocative questions of our time are being debated in the context of a changing world in which the majority of humanity lives in cities.”
New7Wonders Foundation
The Swiss-based New7Wonders foundation was formed in 2001 by Swiss-Canadian filmmaker, author and traveler Bernard Weber. The foundation is said to help protect and appreciate both manmade and natural aspects of the earth’s diversity.
To date, the foundation has held three campaigns to draw attention to notable places — the New7Wonders of the World, the New7Wonders of Nature and the latest New7Wonders Cities.
In previous campaigns, a panel of experts selected finalists from a selection countries nominated by the public during the qualification stage. Voters made the final decision.
The current man-made New7Wonders of the world were named in 2007 by more than 100 million voters and the New7Wonders of nature were announced in 2011 by over 500 million votes, according to the foundation.
New7Wonders Cities process
The seven wondrous city campaign launched in 2012, when more than 1,200 cities were nominated by the public from some 220 countries.
Last October, the 1,200 cities were whittled down to 330. A panel of experts then chose 28 official finalists from the 77 countries that received the most votes during the qualification phase.
Since then, Doha has made it past two more cuts, and now is in the running for the final designation as a wondrous city.
Voting can be done online here by selecting your top seven cities. Public comments, photos and demographics are available about each city to help voters make up their minds.
Voting can also be done via a free app that can be downloaded from the iTunes store here or the Android store here. To vote by phone call or SMS, see more information here.
Do you plan to vote? Thoughts?
aaah come on
I feel some hate from the peanut gallery coming on soon
Haters gonna hate
What on earth does that even mean?
Just sit back and enjoy the movie 😉
Wondrous cities? What is a ‘Wondrous City’? Although when ever I am driving around Doha it does often make me wonder….
It’s a wonder I do not die on the commute to work every day.
I like doha and a, happy living here, but Doha is not there yet to be considered in this category. Maybe in 30 to 59 years it could be a modern marvel but if it wins then it’s not on merit against that competition.
On what criteria to they vote…If I’m convinced them I will think whether to vote or not
It says in a statement by Eamonn Fitzgerald, the cities are chosen based on urbanization; inequality of income and innovation.
Seriously? Did the people who decided on the finalists actually visit Doha? I’ve been to a lot of places around the world, and I can easily come up with 14 more “wondrous” cities than Doha. Then I could add 14 more, and probably 14 more after that.
Dubai deserves it more…
Some sick practical joke … Hehe
Was Mr. Blatter involved in the selection panel?
Check that…. I understand now (after clicking the link in the article). One of the seven panelists is the woman that designed the “woman’s body part” WC stadium. It’s all starting to make sense…..
And the winner is…. Mr Bernard Weber.
empire of the ants?
LOL… Wonderous… LOL…City. LOLOLOLOL
are they havin’ a laugh?
I agree with the other comments here. What were they thinking? They must not have come here. There is not one single nice neighborhood in the whole city. It is hard to find a sidewalk that is not broken and that one can walk on. There is no evidence of urban planning at all.
This sounds like one of those “buy your way” onto the ballot votes.
I’m speechless. Qatar is a nice play to live in ; I was born and raised here, this is my 2nd home ; but never, ever, would I consider it for the Seven Wonders of the world – Qatar has already lost its credibility by buying everything they can instead of earning it because they deserve it. and now this ???????
the concept of aesthetic has been changed through the years…damn plastic surgery!
Sepp Blatter stop it man… You’re Head of this committee also or what?
Rolex must doing good business.
Doha competing with Chicago, London, Barcelona, etc? What a joke…
Some of the dust storms are wonderous. Some of the driving is wonderous. But the city wonderous?
Clearly this is through bribery and corruption – just like the FIFA wold cup …. the only short list that would make sense is for the top 10 most squalid and socially impoverished cities in the world… and then it would be close to the top
‘Wondrous’- literary , ” inspiring a feeling of wonder or delight” e.g. ‘ this wondrous city…. I must say I have a feeling of wonder & delight every time I make it home in one piece.
Seriously, I have been in some amazing cities but sorry Doha, this is not one. Yes the skyline is interesting in West Bay but the amazing architecture ends at the front door in most of the buildings. I enjoy my life in Qatar, have got used to Doha even though the rotes through change from week to week but what about Heritage? Community? Innovation?
I sometimes wonder what I’m doing here if that counts. . It’s a pearl diving village that overnight turned into an unplanned chaotic metropolis and for that it’s interesting. But “wondrous”? Not by any stretch of any imagination
AHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!! Behind the tall buldings and clean roads, you can see incredible sites that might make you feel you are in Afghanistan! AHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!! Strange there is no Dubai here or Muscat with its mountains inside the city: that I would define “wondrous”!
PS. How much did they pay this time?