The first United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress will be held in Deqing, Zhejiang province, from Nov 19 to 21, the Ministry of Natural Resources said on Oct 24.

Kurexi Maihesuti, vice-minister of natural resources, said the congress — co-hosted by the UN, the ministry and the Zhejiang provincial government — will be the largest and highest-level geospatial congress to date.

Themed “Toward a More Sustainable World for All,” the congress will have an official opening and closing ceremony, a ministerial dialogue and four plenary sessions, he said at a news conference at the State Council Information Office.

Officials and experts in geospatial information in more than 30 countries and regions are expected to attend.

“The geospatial industry is closely related to people’s daily lives, from using map apps in mobile phones to offering technical support for major infrastructure projects, such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge,” he said.

The congress aims to establish close ties in the geospatial information community, provide a dialogue platform for discussing, sharing and exchanging experiences and best practices; promoting the innovation and transfer of geospatial technology; and ensuring that geospatial information serves all mankind to the greatest extent possible, he said.

The ministry will seize the opportunity presented by the congress to strengthen collaboration with natural resources administrations in other countries, especially countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, he said.