Much of the talk inside and outside of Saudi Arabia is about the Kingdom’s giga-projects. Can they be done? Will their impact match or exceed the investment? Although 6 giga-projects are now actively being built in Saudi Arabia, none are the first. Jubail Industrial City is the original, and as the first successful giga-project, offers a blueprint for the successful completion and economic payoff of other giga-projects as the Kingdom transforms.

Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia is hosting the Sixth International Conference on Learning Cities 2024. Representatives of UNESCO learning cities from around the world are descending on Jubail to attend the event and discuss strategies for promoting climate action through lifelong learning.

The important conference comes as Jubail celebrates 50 years since its inception - from a greenfield desert and remains of an old fishing village to the world’s largest industrial city, accounting for an astonishing 7% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP. Through one of the greatest collaborations in Saudi history between U.S.-based Bechtel, with a long track record of success in Saudi projects, and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, the city of Jubail is a story of achievement for ambitious projects in Saudi Arabia.

Before the DEEPDIVE on Jubail, the hosts discuss Thanksgiving in Saudi Arabia and traditions during the American holiday week, and also discuss the successful opening of Riyadh’s metro project this week.