teleSUR is celebrating its 10th anniversary July 24. Born from a dream of regional integration by former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the news channel has grown to become a global media reference.

The international conference "Latin American Communication and Integration from and for the South," organized by the International Center of Higher Communication Studies for Latin America, Ciespal, paid homage to this decade, which has presented what many consider to be a vision different from what is often shown by private media monopolies.

Director of Ciespal Francisco Sierra told teleSUR English,"In only 10 years teleSUR has become a reference for alternative media on the international stage. We must remember that the media landscape has a very concentrated structure, basically dominated by the north and in countries like the United States where there is little diversity and editorial pluralism. teleSUR has looked to break these media barriers and create another story, traditions in coverage which are a reflection of reality."

Over 450 panelists and media professionals from around the world participated in the Ciespal conference celebrating teleSUR's 10th anniversary. Communication as a human right, public communication policy, and strategies for training journalists were some topics discussed in the conference. It was a space of collaboration and debate, where the role of public media and experiences were discussed.

"I think the powerful thing that teleSUR is doing, and that is happening across the region is the legislation around public interest programming. Around programming in the public interest and the right of people to have a space in the media that is not controlled by corporations," said broadcast journalist Laura Flanders to teleSUR English.

Many panelists highlighted the importance of teleSUR as accurately reflecting the realities of progressive governments of the region. Some went as far to say that teleSUR and public media have informed in such a way that protects national sovereignty in the face of misinformation campaigns and right-wing destabilization attempts.

Venezuelan journalist and panelist at the conference Luis Britto told teleSUR English, "Large private media monopolies act as if sovereignty is a forgotten concept, and it is important to keep in mind that they have already explicitly declared this in Venezuela and in other countries. They are trying to make themselves into new political actors."

Since its founding, teleSUR has worked to include those voices generally not taken into account by the private media. The channel is expanding its operation to reach an English-speaking audience, showing another reality and giving an alternative vision of the South and world events.