EMER held its first Regional Convention in Warsaw, Poland last October 25-27, with great results! We had approximately 152 participants, including 125 SA members (116 men and nine women) and 27 members of S-Anon. Of these, 117 participants were from Poland and 35 from other places in the world.

Participants included 11 representatives from EMER’s seven participating Intergroups (Flanders/Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Israel, UK, and Ireland) as well as trusted servants representing the Region. A Regional Assembly of all Intergroups and EMER officers was held on Friday.

The conference program included daily early-morning check-in meetings, followed by a group meditation. Other sessions, held in parallel, addressed particular topics with a lead share by a speaker from the region, followed by open sharing. Every session was translated (Polish to English as well as English to Polish). There were two general sessions for all attendees, followed by a Q&A session and open sharing. A Saturday night talent show gave members an opportunity to sing, play, dance, or just tell jokes. The closing session gave an opportunity for those who wished to express gratitude to the group as a whole.

We each built many personal connections with other members, especially among members who came from other countries. If not for the fact that we shared the same problem and the same solution, we would probably never have met. Yet at the conference, we embraced.

During our Regional Assembly meeting, each of us briefly shared news from our own country, as well as what was happening with each of us personally. This was a great format, as we got to know each other better that way. One thing we learned is that our fellowship is growing. Poland currently has 160 members (and they have translated the White Book into Polish); Spain has 25; Belgium/Flanders has 15, Netherlands has 15; UK has 130; Israel has 300; and Ireland has 85 members. We discussed how to carry the SA message worldwide. We also elected an EMER Secretary and a Treasurer. Each elected member serves for two years and can be re-elected once. EMER can also choose three Delegates to represent EMER at SA’s annual General Delegate Assembly, and two have already been appointed (Francis and Cathal, both from Ireland). We are looking for a third representative from Israel, because of the size of the fellowship there. If anyone is interested, please contact SAICO. Requirements are five years sobriety, English language proficiency, and time available to focus on this particular service role.

On a personal note, I am from Israel, and I was thrilled to feel so much connection with members from so many different backgrounds. This is the same feeling of solidarity and connection that I’ve felt with those I grew up with, or those who are my age or share my religious beliefs. At the convention, I felt only warmth and acceptance from my fellow SAs. Everyone was respectful of our Orthodox religion and customs. The organizers provided kosher food, as well as a special room with a refrigerator and a place to keep our food warm—so that we might feel more comfortable. They were also respectful of those of us who could not participate in certain tasks on Saturdays, for religious reasons.

In all, seven Jewish members attended the conference, including three of us from Israel. Everyone was impressed with the growth and development of our fellowship in Israel, and they expressed a desire to attend the next regional conference (to be held in Israel, in May 2014). Every Intergroup representative found much to learn from other members. I took the email addresses of several members who serve on the various regional service committees, such as a prison committee and a public relations committee. I’m hoping that we will be able to collaborate with those members to more effectively carry the message in Israel.

Overall, the convention was a great success. The income from this convention (mainly from the Seventh Tradition) was about 550 Euro. I believe that most of it will be donated to EMER. Most important, however, the whole organizing committee stayed sober!