Degree of difficulty: 
Description: Make an audio version on the entire 2nd Edition Australian Big Book
Cost: $$$$$
Skills needed: Sound engineer, Voice over artists, Director, Talent Coordinator
Let’s Celebrate!
Australia was the first country outside North America to start AA meetings. The first such meeting was on 1st March 1945 in Sydney. Today an AA presence can be found in approximately 180 countries. In 2025, AA will be 90 years old – and 80 years old in Australia.
At the meeting of the General Service Board in February, the following resolutions were made:
Motion 1: That in the spirit of unity and in keeping with our primary purpose of carrying the message to all who suffer from alcoholism, we commemorate 80 years of AA in Australia. We will achieve this by a year-long program, implementing new literature initiatives, celebrating our fellowship, and carrying the message.
Motion 2: That the Board establish an 80th anniversary sub-committee to oversee preparations.
Motion 3: The 80th anniversary sub-committee asks the Fellowship to consider how we as a Fellowship should celebrate our 80th anniversary.
We want to hear from you on what you would like to do to celebrate AA’s 80th Anniversary.
Send through your event nominations now!
Click here for Nomination Form
Sign up here to keep in touch with updates on AA80
Here’s some ideas we’ve already received:
Legend:
Degree of difficulty
Cost
| $ | under $1000 |
| $$ | $1000 - $5000 |
| $$$ | $5000 - $10000 |
| $$$$ | $10000 - $20000 |
| $$$$$ | more that $20000 |
Big Book Auslan
Degree of difficulty:
Description: Make an AUSLAN translation of the basic text of the Big Book
Cost: $$
Skills needed: Video Editor, Camera Operator, Studio Director, AUSLAN interpreters, Talent Coordinator.
80th Anniversary Commemorative 2nd Edition Big Book
Degree of difficulty:
Description: Print a Special Commemorative Edition of the Australian Big Book
Cost: $$$$$
Skills needed: Skill set already in place
Translate The Big Book Into At Least One Indigenous Language
Degree of difficulty:
Description: Translate the basic text of the Big Book into at least one First Nations language.
Cost: None. Translations are covered by AAWS
Skills needed: Translators, Proof-readers.
Archive Displays
Degree of difficulty:
Description: Encourage AA Archivists to curate displays of the early years of AA in Australia
Cost: $
Skills needed: Archivists, Publicist
International Convention in Sydney
Degree of difficulty:
Description: The celebrations start with the Convention early in the year
Cost: $$$$$
Skills needed: Host Planning Committee that could draw upon the expertise of AA members from around Australia in fields like Fund Raising, Accounting, Graphic design, Event organisers, programme coordinators, merchandising, volunteers.
One to Another – Stage Play
Degree of difficulty:
Description: Using the Australian AA History book – One to Another as a guide, present a play that depicts the events leading up to the first AA meeting in Australia
Cost:$$$$$
Skills needed: Playwright, Stage Director, Actors Agent, Theatrical Producer. Venue negotiator, Publicist.
AA The Musical
Degree of difficulty: :
Description: 90 minutes long (sound familiar?) of an AA meeting but set to music where peoples stories could be drawn from the members stories in the 2nd edition Australian Big Book.
Cost:$$$$$
Skills needed: Composer, Librettist, Director, Musical Director, Producer, Actors agent, Musicians agent, Venue Negotiator, Publicist.
Sober Comics
Degree of difficulty:
Description: A night of side-splitting sobriety
Cost: $
Skills needed: Be well rehearsed, and funny. Venue Coordinator, Publicist. A great fundraiser in the leadup to AA80
Sober Art Exhibition
Degree of difficulty:
Description: Does paint run through your veins? Here’s an opportunity to really shine.
Cost: $
Skills needed: Gallery coordinator, Artists, Publicist. This could be a great fundraiser in the leadup to AA80
CabarAA
Degree of difficulty:
Description: AA’s night of nights. Can you sing, dance, rap or play the spoons? Time to dig out your tap shoes.
Cost: $
Skills needed: Venue Coordinator, Publicist, Talent. A great fundraiser in the leadup to AA80
The AA Orchestra
Degree of difficulty:
Description: Drawing from AA members all over Australia who play a musical instrument and are willing to rehearse via zoom, to rehearse a programme that would have its premiere at the National Convention.
Is there someone who could compose the AA Fanfare?
Cost: $
Skills needed: Musicians, Conductor, Composer, Musician coordinator.
Old Timers Meeting
Degree of difficulty:
Description: About a decade ago there was a day at the Mercure Hotel in Sydney where OSMs shared their stories. It was well attended and a fascinating experience for everyone. Something similar could be done for the 80th anniversary but with a focus on the early history of AA in Australia
Cost: $$
Skills needed: Archivists to research for potential speakers, Venue coordinator, Publicist, Transport coordinator, Travel agent.
International YPAA
Degree of difficulty:
Description: Let’s invite the world to joins us as we celebrate not only Young People in AA, but also 80 years in Australia
Cost: $$$
Skills needed: Host Planning Committee that could draw upon the expertise of AA members from around Australia in fields like Fund Raising, Accounting, Graphic design, Event organisers, programme coordinators, merchandising, volunteers.
Board Town Hall Meetings in Each Area. Current and Past Trustees From Each Area.
Degree of difficulty:
Description: Each AA Area to host a day that celebrates our trusted servants past and present who have served on the General Service Board
Cost:$$$
Skills needed: Venue Coordinator, Publicist
80th Anniversary Medallion
Degree of difficulty:
Description: Have an Australian 80th Anniversary medallion minted
Cost: $$$
Skills needed: Coordinator
Host The Asia Oceania Service Meeting When It Is Due To Meet in 2025
Degree of difficulty:
Description: Delegates from the Asia Oceania Service Meeting
Cost: $$$
Skills needed:
New Suite Of Print PSAs
Degree of difficulty:
Description: AA has long accepted Pro Bono help from Media Companies to make newspaper, magazine and billboard Public Service Announcements.
Cost: none
Skills needed: Media coordinator, Pro Bono negotiator. We ask members who work in the media fields to nominate companies that may be interested in Pro Bono work
AA Life Raft Cruise
Degree of difficulty:
Description: AA takes to the high seas for 4 nights with all the glamour of a Cruise Liner and AA meetings as well. Please note we won’t have exclusive access to the ship.
Cost:
Skills needed: Coordinator, Travel Agent, Publicist.
AA Takes The Sky (Founders Day Skywriting Nationwide)
Degree of difficulty:
Description: On Founders Day 2025 have AA80 in skywriting above Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Canberra and when people do an internet search for AA80 it takes them to a page about AA and our 80th Anniversary.
Cost: $$$$
Skills needed: Coordinators in each Region, Fundraising, someone to negotiate with Google
New Suite Of TV PSAs
Degree of difficulty: [icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”]
Description: AA has long accepted Pro Bono help from Media Companies to make TV and Cinema Public Service Announcements
Cost: none
Skills needed: Media coordinator, Pro Bono negotiator. We ask members who work in the media fields to nominate companies that may be interested in Pro Bono work
New Suite Of Radio PSAs
Degree of difficulty:
Description: AA has long accepted Pro Bono help from Media Companies to make radio Public Service Announcements.
Cost: none
Skills needed: Media coordinator, Pro Bono negotiator. We ask members who work in the media fields to nominate companies that may be interested in Pro Bono work
1940’s Heritage meetings
Degree of difficulty:
Description: There are meetings that have run continuously since they were founded in the 1940s. It would be a great initiative to organise a Festival of Foundation Meetings which could be a weeklong program where extant Groups founded in the 1940s hosted special meetings on their regular nights. It would best be scheduled to coincide with Founders’ Day. Members would travel around to a week of heritage meetings: the country meetings would be like a tag-a-long. If there is any doubling up on some nights, then it would extend to the following week. There would be parallel Festivals in each Region although some may need to vary the cut-off date to suit the timing of their local foundation.
Cost:$
Skills needed: Archivist, Researcher, Meeting coordinator, Publicist
From Chair: About a decade ago there was a day at the Mercure Hotel in Sydney where OSMs shared their stories. I believe GSO organised it. It was well attended and a fascinating experience for everyone. Could something similar be done for the 80th anniversary but with a focus on the early history of AA in Australia? Start by inviting the archivists from around Australia to confer and select suitable speakers.
There are meetings that have run continuously since they were founded in the 1940s.
Years ago I saw a chronology prepared by the archivist at Croydon—my memory is that Manly, Hurstville, Kings Cross and Wauchope are examples; the archivists would know of more. It would be a great initiative to organise a Festival of Foundation Meetings which could be a week long program where extant Groups founded in the 1940s hosted special meetings on their regular nights. It would best be scheduled to coincide with Founders’ Day. Members would travel around to a week of heritage meetings: the country meetings would be like a tag-a-long. If there is any doubling up on some nights, then it would extend to the following week. There would be parallel Festivals in each Region although some may need to vary the cut-off date to suit the timing of their local foundation.
