Over 30,000 gather in Vancouver for AA’s global conference, celebrating 90 years of sobriety, healing, and community support across 90 nations.
Global Recovery Event Draws Thousands to Vancouver
Over 30,000 attendees from more than 90 countries have arrived in Vancouver for the 90th anniversary International Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) conference, a landmark gathering running from July 3 to 6. Hosted at the Vancouver Convention Centre and B.C. Place, the event marks a significant milestone in the global recovery community, bringing together individuals committed to long-term sobriety and support.
Celebrating Milestones in Recovery
The four-day conference features a variety of meetings, including special sessions for members with decades of sobriety, often referred to as “old timers.” These meetings offer a chance for attendees to reflect on their personal recovery journeys and connect with others who’ve walked a similar path. For Carolyn, a Canadian who joined AA 24 years ago, the event is more than symbolic.
“It gets to a point where you just don’t want to live like that anymore. And what a relief that there’s a way out,” she said. Carolyn, like many attendees, is celebrating not just the past but a future shaped by healing and transformation.
Downtown Vancouver Welcomes Worldwide Support
The heart of downtown Vancouver is buzzing with visitors, all united under the banner of recovery. The international scope of the event underscores Alcoholics Anonymous’s reach and influence since its founding in 1935 in the United States. Though the program’s twelve steps are consistent, members come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, drawn together by shared struggles with alcohol and a desire for change.
A Spiritual Program, Not a Religious One
Despite long-standing critiques that the AA program leans heavily on religious themes, organizers emphasize that it is a spiritual—not religious—initiative.
“It is not a religious program, but it is a spiritual program,” said Kerry Meyer, a public liaison and conference organizer.
A 2020 study by the Cochrane Collaboration supported AA’s effectiveness, affirming that for many, the program leads to long-term sobriety and life transformation. Meyer noted that the overwhelming turnout at this conference is a testament to its real-world impact.
The Power of Anonymity
Anonymity remains a foundational principle of AA, helping members feel safe to seek help on their own terms. Carolyn emphasized how important that privacy was to her early recovery: “It makes it so much easier to reach out.”
Now decades sober, she’s invited her family to experience the conference and witness the life she’s built through AA. “They see me as a sober person in their lives that they can rely on, which certainly isn’t what it looked like before AA.”
Looking Ahead with Hope
The conference, which requires registration, is expected to provide not just celebration, but renewed purpose. Organizers hope that attendees will return to their communities invigorated and ready to support others still struggling with alcohol use.
“We want members to leave feeling re-energized in their own sobriety,” Meyer said, “and to reach out to the still suffering alcoholics so they can enjoy this freedom as well.”
As Vancouver hosts this historic event, the city becomes more than just a backdrop—it becomes a beacon of recovery, resilience, and global solidarity.
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