United Nations refugee chief Antonio Guterres has told Eurovision that catastrophic world events like the Syrian civil war “do not exist in public opinion” unless covered by organizations such as public service media.

Asked about the role of public service media in conflicts that cause mass civilian displacement, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said it was “absolutely essential”.

Speaking to Eurovision at News Xchange 2012, in Barcelona, the former Portuguese Prime Minister added: “When events are not covered by media, they do not exist in the public opinion, they do not exist in the priorities of governments, they don’t exist in the expression of international solidarity.”

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees also lauded the media’s power to act as a deterrent to would-be human rights violators, by ensuring that abuses are brought to light.

“The proof of the relevance of the media is that if one looks at the number of journalists and humanitarian workers that lost their lives last year, either covering or supporting humanitarian action in conflict areas and disaster areas, that number is very similar,” he said.

Mr Guterres went on: “Being a humanitarian actor or being a journalist today corresponds to high-risk activities, but to activities that are essential for the promotion of human rights and support for the most vulnerable people.”