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During its first decade, A.A. as a fellowship accumulated substantial
experience which indicated that certain group attitudes and principles were
particularly valuable in assuring survival of the informal structure of the
Fellowship. In 1946, in the Fellowship’s international journal, the A.A.
Grapevine, these principles were reduced to writing by the founders and
early members as the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. They were
accepted and endorsed by the membership as a whole at the International
Convention of A.A., at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1950.
While the Twelve Traditions
are not specifically binding on any group or groups, an overwhelming
majority of members have adopted them as the basis for A.A.’s expanding
“internal” and public relationships.
THE TWELVE
TRADITIONS
OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
1. Our common welfare should come first; personal
recovery depends upon A.A. unity.
2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate
authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group
conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
3. The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire
to stop drinking.
4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters
affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.
5. Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its
message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
6. An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend
the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest
problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary
purpose.
7. Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting,
declining outside contributions.
8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever
nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
9. A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may
create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they
serve.
10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside
issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public
controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction
rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the
level of press, radio and films.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our
traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
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