The Swiss foundation Seven Wonders of Nature announced the finalists in the ‘New7Wonders’ competition, including Poland’s Masuria Lakes Region.
Twenty-eight finalists have been announced and, for the next two years, Internet users will have a chance to vote for the top candidates. An official list of the 7 New Wonders of Nature will be announced in 2011.
On 9 June, it was confirmed that two Poland's contenders, the Masuria Lake District, and the Bialowieza Primeval Forest - both UNESCO heritage sites – made it to the next round in the categories "landscape, ice formations" and "forest, national parks, nature reserves" respectively. The Polish wonders of nature joined a group of such renowned sites as the Amazon Jungle, the Galapagos or the peak of Kilimanjaro.
The final selection will be made by a jury headed by professor Federico Mauro, former UNESCO secretary general. According to the organizers, a hundred million people around the world have participated in the voting so far. (di/mmj)