Memorial service held for Merle Evelyn Ratner

The Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations on February 16 held a Memorial Ceremony for Merle Evelyn Ratner, a peace activist, anti-war advocate, and fighter for civil rights and progress. The devoted friend of the Vietnamese people passed away on February 5, 2024.

The event was connected with many sites in the US, with the participation of representatives from Vietnamese ministries, agencies and organisations, and the activist’s friends.

Born in 1956 in New York City, Ratner had a special love for Vietnam. She took to the streets to protest against the Vietnam War when she was 13 years old and became famous for hanging anti-war slogans on the Statue of Liberty.

Ratner actively participated in protests against the US war in Vietnam since the late 1960s, the anti-imperialism movement in the 1970s and 1980s, and anti-racism campaigns in America today.

She was a co-founder and coordinator of the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign in the New York area.

She made tireless efforts to garner support for Vietnamese Agent Orange victims to ease their difficulties and seek justice for them./.

VNA