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 Munchenbryggeriet (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.
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 Lângholmen — the historic prison island of Stockholm — on Saturday night.
EURYPAA