Stockholm hosts the first all-European conference for young people in Alcoholics Anonymous, 23-25 July at Münchenbryggeriet

The EURYPAA conference runs from Friday evening, 23 July through Sunday afternoon 25 July. It includes meetings where people share their personal stories of recovery as well as keynote speakers, workshops and panel discussions on a variety of topics such as: Cooperating with doctors, therapists and clergy; Relationships in sobriety; A.A. experience in jails; History of young people in A.A.; Partying sober; Sober gays & lesbians; ’Young at any age’ with people who got sober after 30; and ’Never Had a Legal Drink’ with panelists who got sober before it was legal for them to have had a drink. There will also be a Sunset Concert of live music on Friday night, and a Disco on Långholmen – the historic prison island of Stockholm – on Saturday night.

Known as ”EURYPAA” (pronounced yer-ee-paw) – which stands for the All-EURope Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous conference – the three-day event is a celebration in recovery from alcoholism through the 12-step program of A.A.

Upwards of 500 sober people from around the world are anticipated at the three-day event, being held at Stockholm’s Münchenbryggeriet (The Munich Brewery). Jay G., who has been a part of the planning of the conference for the past year, says the group is excited to be at the historic beer factory location.

”- We love the metaphor! says Jay G. The brewery was lovingly saved from destruction in the 70’s and revitalized into Stockholm’s premiere conference and event facility. Which is not too far off from our own story of recovering from the destruction of personal alcoholism. When we come together we share our experience, strength and hope in our recovery with each other. One alcoholic talking with another alcoholic is the basis of our fellowship, and the cornerstone to how we stay sober.”

”- It is important that we are doing this in Europe, there are a lot of young people who want help to stop drinking. As sober people, we are the example that there is help available, and that stopping drinking does not mean life is over. Actually, for us, it has only just begun. We are proud to have started EURYPAA because we have such an incredible community of sober young people here, not just in Stockholm but all across Sweden, says Jay G.”

Sober people are coming from all across Europe, including Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Ukraine, Lithuania, Russia, Poland, Spain, Italy, France, Ireland, Iceland, Estonia, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and more. As well as many travelling from as far away as Australia, the United States of America, and Canada to be part of this first-ever event.

A dozen sober young people have planned the EURYPAA conference for almost a year. Neither Alcoholics Anonymous in Sweden nor A.A. as a whole has an official capacity in putting on the EURYPAA conference.

”-This was organized by a group of us who wanted to create a conference for all of Europe much like the young people conferences that have been going on for over fifty years in North America,” explains Jay G. ”And EURYPAA will be an annual event, hosted by a different city in Europe each year.”

Attendees at EURYPAA include people who got sober at any age, a few from as early as thirteen years old, and people with varying lengths of sobriety from newly sober to over fifty years. No one should feel they are too old to participate in EURYPAA. Mark J., 20 years old and three years sober in A.A., is one of the young participants in EURYPAA:

”-Young people’s conferences are all about that enthusiasm we get when we are no longer dying of alcoholism and discover there is life worth living, says Mark J. As our book, Alcoholics Anonymous, says ’We absolutely insist on enjoying life! That’s why we say EURYPAA is for anyone with less than 75 years of sobriety, or anyone who still has room to grow in recovery. For me as a young A.A. it´s most important to dispel the myth that an alcoholic is an old man on a park bench. You can be young and good-looking and still suffer from alcoholism, Mark J. continues.”

While most meetings at EURYPAA will be in English, there are a number of non-English language meetings also planned, including Swedish, Finnish, Spanish, Danish, German, Italian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, French and even Irish Gaelic.

Al-Anon family groups, the 12-step fellowship for the family and friends of alcoholics, will also be a part of the EURYPAA schedule. The EURYPAA conference is open to everyone; registration information is available online at www.eurypAA.org.

This year the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous is celebrating 75 years since co-founders Bill W. and Dr. Bob S. met in Akron, Ohio, USA, and started a movement in sobriety. Today A.A. is present in over 180 countries and has over two million members in recovery worldwide.

Fast facts A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous)
A.A. started in 1935 and is the world's largest self-help movement for alcoholics who have a desire to stop drinking. The basis of A.A. is the A.A. meeting, where an alcoholic who has not yet found any solution to their problems, face a different (sober) alcoholic. This meeting creates identification and trust, it eliminates the denial while creating a jump at the newcomer. It appears that a recovering alcoholic can reach another alcoholic in a very special way. As an aid in their recovery the meeting and support group is invaluable. It is therefore recommended that the newcomer attend meetings. Alcoholics also use the proposed A.A.'s Twelve Steps to help achieve and maintain their sobriety, often accompanied by a sponsor.

A.A. is fully independent and has no links with either religions, businesses or agencies. A.A. is also completely self-sufficient and refuses to accept financial contributions from outside. The member pays no dues. It costs neither the individual nor society, something to be sober in A.A. A.A. is financed through their own contributions (so-called hat money) and literature.

PR
Annette Sandgren, CEO, TGIM – Thank God It´s Monday, PR coordinator and friend of EURYPAA says:  
”- As a friend I am able to be of service to EURYPAA and coordinate the media interest in this first-ever conference so that individual members of A.A. do not risk their personal anonymity. Several friends of mine are recovered alcoholics in A.A. and it is a great joy for me to help them and be a part of this historic event.”

Contact
For press accreditation and special interviews contact:
TGIM AB, Annette Sandgren + 46 70 777 91 00, annette@tgim.se

NOTE/IMPORTANT:
In keeping with the Alcoholics Anonymous tradition of personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and film, last names are not used in reference to individual members of A.A. We respectfully ask that A.A. speakers and A.A. members not be photographed, videotaped, or identified by full name on audiotapes and in published or broadcast reports of our meetings. The assurance of anonymity is essential in our efforts to help other problem drinkers who may wish to share our recovery program with us. And our Tradition of anonymity reminds us that “A.A. principles come before personalities.” Any media visiting EURYPAA is kindly requested to coordinate with Annette Sandgren (friend of A.A.) and check-in at the Registration table so you may be given an identifying badge.

For more information on EURYPAA visit: www.eurypAA.org
For information on Alcoholics Anonymous in Sweden visit: www.AA.se
For information on A.A. worldwide visit: www.AA.org
For Al-Anon Family Groups and Alateen in Sweden visit: www.al-anon.se
For Al-Anon and Alateen worldwide visit: www.al-anon.org

Program
The EURYPAA Program are attached to this press release.