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 Vietnam. The country and people of Vietnam always remember and appreciate her affection and dedication to the struggle for national liberation, national unification, and the development and integration of Vietnam, 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 Vietnam will transcend through time.

Ngo Thanh Nhan sings the song "Cô gái mở đường" (Girls who keep the roads open) for his dear wife, Merle Ratner. (Photo: Vietnam 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 Vietnam 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 Vietnam. Now I know that many Vietnamese love Merle, the same way she loves Vietnam. I will continue the path that she chose, that is to contribute to Vietnam-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.

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 Vietnam. She participated in the movement to end the war in Vietnam. She took to the streets to protest against the war in Vietnam 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 Vietnam, 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 Vietnam-US relations, support many international activities of Vietnam, and support Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange. Not only did she contribute to Vietnam's struggle for independence and national development, she also introduced Vietnam and its people. culture and history to international friends.

She is a close friend and partner of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and many Vietnamese agencies and organizations.

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)

Previously, on Feb. 16, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations held a memorial service for Merle Ratner in Hanoi. The ceremony was chaired by Phan Anh Son, President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, with the participation of Ambassadors, representatives of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee's Commission for External Relations, Office of State President, Office of Government, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Vietnam Women's Union, Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin. Many Vietnamese agencies and organizations, foreign non-governmental organizations in Vietnam, and American and Vietnamese friends attended in person. Ngo Thanh Nhan and American relatives and friends of Merle Ratner and her family attended online at nearly 40 bridge points.

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