The Village of Great Neck Plaza will host a Holocaust memorial exhibit entitled, "Diplomats of Mercy" by the Harriet and Kenneth Kuofenberg Holocaust Resource Center of Queensborough Community College at the Great Neck Plaza Village Hall from Jan. 11 through Feb. 11. The exhibit will open with a reception on Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

In announcing this exhibit, Ted Rosen, deputy mayor of the Plaza stated, "We are most pleased to sponsor this exhibit. In a time when our nation has seen increased instances of hate crimes and a resurgence of racism, it is all the more important that we remember and learn from the lessons of the past."

Rosen added that the exhibit will mark the first time the Queensborough Holocaust Resource Center will exhibit in Great Neck. "This Center is increasingly becoming an important research and educational resource. Since it is located in Bayside, very close to Great Neck, we believe that it is a tremendous resource for the Great Neck community and one about which the Great Neck community has, to date, apparently had little information. We hope with this exhibit that will change."

The exhibit focuses on the actions of several diplomats who saved Jews during the holocaust. In its exhibit brochure the Center describes the exhibit's goal: "... to make known and to acknowledge with gratitude the extraordinary deeds of diplomats representing nations from around the world, such as China, El Salvador, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey... the actions of those diplomats stand out as beacons of light in an otherwise dark and grim time... the "Diplomats of Mercy," because of diplomatic immunity and in most cases without the approval of their governments, were able to save thousands of Jews, often against their own best interests."

The exhibit will run through Feb. 11 and will be free and open to the public during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The opening reception on Jan. 10 is also free and open to the public. Interested parties are asked to RSVP to Carol Teplin at the Village Hall, 482-4500 X113.