At a GRIPS Forum on November 10, 2008, Dr Bukhary Essam, Saudi Cultural Attaché in Japan, gave a lecture on "Saudi Arabia: The New Challenge for Building the Future". Dr. Essam elaborated on his country’s current strategies for economic development presenting a wide range of actual projects that have been nationally promoted. The lecture was the sixth in a series of forums that feature leaders from government, academia, and business, as well as GRIPS’ own faculty to discuss current policy concerns.