About 200 delegates attended the ceremony in person and online. They are Merle Ratner's relatives, comrades, friends, members of left-wing movements, the Communist Party, the Workers' Party, Marxist-oriented organizations, Trade unions, groups protecting workers' rights, advocacy groups supporting Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange and numerous representatives of the Vietnamese community in the USA.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to the USA Nguyen Quoc Dung said that Merle Ratner actively fought for solidarity and justice in the world, for peace, and for victims of Agent Orange in Viet Nam. The country and people of Viet Nam always remember and appreciate her affection and dedication to the struggle for national liberation, national unification, and the development and integration of Viet Nam, as well as her journey to find justice for the victims of Agent Orange. Her love of life, her tireless struggle for justice, and her deep love for Viet Nam will transcend through time.
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| Ngo Thanh Nhan sings the song "Cô gái mở đường" (Girls who keep the roads open) for his dear wife, Merle Ratner. (Photo: Viet Nam Embassy to the USA) |
Bill Fletcher, a friend of Merle Ratner said: "My impression of Merle is that she is determined and full of energy and always willing to help. Thanks to her I better understand the Viet Nam that she loves, its history, culture, and the efforts of the Vietnamese government in rebuilding the country."
Ngo Thanh Nhan, Merle Ratner's husband, thanked those who attended the memorial service. He said: “I will bring Merle's ashes to Viet Nam. Now I know that many Vietnamese love Merle, the same way she loves Viet Nam. I will continue the path that she chose, that is to contribute to Viet Nam-US people relations."
At the memorial service, American and Vietnamese friends of Merle Ratner's family sent their condolences to Ngo Thanh Nhan and wrote farewell messages to Merle Ratner.
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| Merle Evelyn Ratner (outer left, in purple) at a protest against the manufacturer of Agent Orange. |
Merle Evelyn Ratner, born in 1956 in New York, is a left-wing activist who has special affection for Viet Nam. She participated in the movement to end the war in Viet Nam. She took to the streets to protest against the war in Viet Nam when she was 13 years old. She is famous for hanging anti-war slogans on the Statue of Liberty. She supported the National Liberation Front of South Viet Nam, participated in the anti-imperialist movement in the 1970s and 1980s, and the current anti-racism movement in the USA. After 1975, Merle Ratner made many efforts to promote the normalization of Viet Nam-US relations, support many international activities of Viet Nam, and support Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange. Not only did she contribute to Viet Nam's struggle for independence and national development, she also introduced Viet Nam and its people. culture and history to international friends.
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| Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (middle), and Vietnamese friends of Merle Ratner joined online from Hanoi. (Photo: Dinh Hoa) |
She is a close friend and partner of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and many Vietnamese agencies and organizations.
Source: Vietnamtimes
