Ferda Salık was appointed as a history teacher at Kayapınar Girls’ Anatolian Imam Hatip High School in Kayapınar, Diyarbakır 10 years ago. She soon realized that the female students were unaware of their city’s historical or cultural places and elements. She then asked her students to look into the historical places of Diyarbakır as homework, enabling them to take the initiative as cultural ambassadors, conduct research, and present their observations to their peers. Her work developed over the years with the participation of voluntary students and has turned into a project that has been implemented since 2016.

As part of Diyarbakır’s Cultural Ambassadors project, female students explore Diyarbakır with a theme each month. They share the video content they prepare with their peers in different schools over the internet. At project, more than 850 cultural ambassadors have enabled tens of thousands of people to get to know Diyarbakır's cultural heritage. Ferda and her students later took their ideas to the next level by designing a board game as part of a TÜBİTAK-funded project. Important cultural figures and historical places in Diyarbakır are highlighted in the board game, the content and instructions of which are prepared by the students. The board game also became the first culture-themed board game designed by a group of high school students. The project's success has exceeded the borders of Diyarbakır; it continues to be implemented in nine cities of Turkey with a similar structure.

The project has two important goals: to increase the recognition of Diyarbakır and to boost the self-confidence and communication skills of female students. Families who see the girls’ determination and success continue to support their education.

Ferda Salık’s biggest dream is for her students to complete their education and build careers. With her work, Ferda Salık makes a difference in the lives of her students and their families in Kayapınar, Diyarbakır.