On the occasion of Ha Long Bay being included in the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World according to the provisional results announced by the New Open World organization, on the afternoon of November 29th, at the Government Guest House, the International Economic and Cultural Exchange Club of the WTO and International Affairs Research Center of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and VIPTOUR Company under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in coordination with the Embassies of the countries whose natural wonders were recognized through this voting round, organized the 194th regular meeting with the aim of celebrating the "New Seven Wonders of the World".Attending the event were Mr. Alberto J. Kaminker - Ambassador of Argentina, Mr. João de Mendonça Lima Neto - Ambassador of Brazil, Mr. Jerril G. Santos - Ambassador of the Philippines, Mr. Ratubatsi Super Moloi - Ambassador of South Africa, Mr. I Nyoman Gurnitha - Cultural and Social Counselor of the Indonesian Embassy, and Mr. Keum Gi Hyong, Director of the Korean Cultural Center in Vietnam. Also present were Mr. El Houcine Fardani - Ambassador of Morocco and Head of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr. Saadi Salama - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine, and many other diplomatic representatives, along with numerous members of the Club, faculty members, and students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Mr. To Van Dong, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, delivered a welcoming speech. He emphasized: “These wonders, bestowed by nature upon each nation and territory, are also the common heritage of humanity. Together, we must all commit to preserving these precious heritages through our own responsibilities and through the cooperation and friendship of nations, peoples, and organizations. For Vietnam, Ha Long Bay has been recognized twice by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage site. From 2007 to the present, the New 7 Wonders organization has launched a poll to select the 7 new natural wonders of the world, and once again, Ha Long Bay has been chosen as one of the 7 new natural wonders of the world.” The list of the 7 new natural wonders of the world, announced (in alphabetical order), is the Amazon rainforest in South America, Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Brazil, Jeju Island in South Korea, Komodo National Park in Indonesia, Puerto Princesa Underground River in the Philippines, and Table Mountain in South Africa.
The ambassadors and counselors introduced each landmark on the list of the 7 wonders with engaging and unique presentations, along with vivid clips and slides. Some ambassadors and counselors also recounted in detail the voting process in their respective countries. The Counselor of the Indonesian Embassy stated that the entire country of Indonesia sent over 40 million text messages to vote, and that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia personally participated in the campaign for Komodo National Park. The Ambassadors of Argentina and Brazil clarified that their two countries share a common wonder: Iguazu Falls. The Brazilian Ambassador further explained common misconceptions about the Amazon rainforest, such as that the Amazon does not belong to any one country but to nine countries: Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guyana. When introducing South Africa's unique Table Mountain, the Ambassador jokingly said, "If you would like to visit Table Mountain and our beautiful South Africa, we will grant you a visa tonight." The Philippine Ambassador enthusiastically introduced the Puerto Pricesa Underground River, considered the longest underground river in the world. Not only did he introduce the charming Jeju Island, but the Director of the Korean Cultural Center also began his presentation with a video showcasing popular Korean youth music groups and their hottest songs.
On the Vietnamese side, Mr. Tran Nhat Hoang, Director of the Center for Cultural, Sports and Tourism Promotion under the Department of International Cooperation (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), gave a brief introduction to Ha Long Bay. He concluded his presentation with an invitation: Ha Long Bay is in Vietnam, so the best way for you to better understand Ha Long Bay is to come and visit Ha Long Bay many times. This is a truly meaningful activity, aimed at strengthening exchange and understanding, and fostering connections between countries whose natural wonders made it onto the final selection list. It helps cultivate awareness of promoting and preserving heritage, contributing to raising awareness of the value of the treasures bestowed by nature.
Admire the beauty of the 7 new wonders here..
