U2 guitarist The Edge is partnering with social enterprise Love Welcomes to launch a special guitar strap in support of refugee women.
The guitarist wore the strap for U2's performance with Martin Garrix for the Euro 2020 opening ceremony in Rome on 11 June.
Each guitar strap is hand sewn by refugee women and includes an orange strip of upcycled life vest worn by refugees in their journeys across the Mediterranean before arriving in Greece.
As well as providing employment to refugee women, proceeds from each sale will go back to the refugee community.
The Edge x Love Welcomes straps are available to pre-order now at www.lovewelcomes.org. The first five-hundred straps sold will also receive a personally signed postcard from The Edge.
“In difficult times, we all cling to the hope of a better future," says The Edge. "Love Welcomes works with women and families who have been through the very worst of times, unimaginable trauma and life-changing events.”
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“The causes of forced migration are super complex but in the end it’s a very human problem that demands a humane response. The principle ought to be “treat others as you would have them treat you”. Love Welcomes attempts to do that and I am proud to be part of their initiative to provide opportunities and employment for migrant and refugee women.”
Each unique strap includes the message ‘Love Welcomes’ as well as morse code stitching woven into the strap which says ‘The Edge’. Morse code is a signature feature of Love Welcomes hand made products as "a way for women to share messages through the products they create."
For more info and to order visit lovewelcomes.org
Rob is the Reviews Editor for GuitarWorld.com and MusicRadar guitars, so spends most of his waking hours (and beyond) thinking about and trying the latest gear while making sure our reviews team is giving you thorough and honest tests of it. He's worked for guitar mags and sites as a writer and editor for nearly 20 years but still winces at the thought of restringing anything with a Floyd Rose.
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