The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is the world's largest intergovernmental body dedicated to studying the Earth. Between September 23 and 27, GEO and China Science and Technology Center are jointly holding the 2024 GEO Symposium and Open Data & Open Knowledge Workshop (ODOK) in Hangzhou, east China. The opening ceremony was held at the Hangzhou International Innovation Institute of Beihang University on September 23. Under the theme 'From Vision to Action', the event focuses on translating the GEO Post-2025 Strategy into a detailed implementation plan, and aims to advance collaborations on pressing common issues related to Earth observation data, knowledge and infrastructure. More than 400 representatives from China, the United States, the European Commission, South Africa, and other countries and international organizations have gathered together, covering topics such as ecosystems, climate change and urbanization. This is the first GEO international conference held in China in 14 years after the 2010 GEO Ministerial Summit.