Organizers of the 2011 Summer Universiade have unveiled a cartoon figure as the mascot of the sports gala for global university students.

The mascot, which is named UU and looks like a smiling letter of U, was presented to the public late Saturday night at a ceremony in the southern Chinese city.

"It embodies nothing specific," said Wang Yuefei, one of the five designers of the mascot. "But it is vibrant and energetic."

The winning design was chosen from more than 2,000 entries received by the Shenhen Universiade Organizing Committee between January 17 and May 20 this year.

More than 13,000 athletes and officials from the entire world are expected to take part in the Shenzhen Universiade, held every two years. The event was called International Universities Championship and World Student Games between 1923 and 1959.

The 2007 Universiade was held in Bangkok while the 2009 event is scheduled to take place in Belgrade.

(Xinhua News Agency November 23, 2008)