Volunteers of the first United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress show off their uniforms in Deqing, Zhejiang province on Nov 13. [Photo by Wang Zheng/zjol.com.cn]

A total of 760 volunteers will serve the first United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress in Deqing county of Huzhou, Zhejiang province, from Nov 19 to 21.

At the launch ceremony for volunteer activities on Tuesday, the volunteers' uniforms, which feature the lush waters and green mountains of the county, were unveiled.

As introduced by the designer Wu Haiyan, a professor from the China Academy of Art, the colors applied on the uniforms, from dark blue, light blue to white, represent the nature and history of Deqing.

In March, the organizing committee of the geospatial congress set up two training bases for volunteers at local colleges and one month later, it began to look for volunteers from 12 universities and colleges in Zhejiang province. After two rounds of interviews, 760 of over 4,000 applicants stood out, including students who have skills in the languages of Spanish, French and Arabic.

From Nov 13 to 16, these volunteers are taking training courses involving venue management, registration, accommodation, transportation, healthcare, security and VIPs.

The mascot for the event, a bee named Xiao Qing, was also unveiled.  

The first United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress, hosted by the UN and organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Zhejiang provincial government, is a platform to discuss the newest development trends in surveying and mapping. It will also discuss the ways in which geographic information supports the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Volunteers wearing the uniforms take their oaths in Deqing county, Zhejiang province on Nov 13. [Photo by Xie Shangguo/zjol.com.cn]