A new exhibit honors World War hero, who saved 30,000 lives

These Are My People!, an exhibition honoring Sousa Mendes, who helped 30,000 refugees escape the horrors of World War II by creating a route through Spain to Portugal, will be open to visitors from Friday, April 15, at the University of Utah's Marriott Library, through Sunday, May 29, 2011.

The exhibit features 20 panels of photographs, documents and text demonstrating Sousa Mendes' heroic act of rescuing thousands of people during the war.

Sousa Mendes illustrates the importance of individual action, how one person can, indeed, make a difference in our complex world, Martin Gelman, president of the United Jewish Federation of Utah, the co-sponsor of the exhibit, said.

Sousa Mendes, then a Portuguese diplomat, was censured by his country and died in poverty in 1954. He is remembered with great honor today for carrying a great rescue work single handedly, according to historians.

The exhibit is expected to draw visitors from every walks of life, including, World War survivors, students, historians and the like.