Firda Windi, a student of the Dirasat Islamiyah program, achieved recognition as the favorite winner in the Provincial Language Ambassador competition in West Sumatra, held from March 1 to April 20, 2022. Despite facing setbacks in previous competitions, Firda remained determined to participate in the Language Ambassador contest, staying within her comfort zone and relying on her knowledge.

Firda explained that her concern about the development of the Indonesian language motivated her to join the competition, particularly her desire to implement the principles of Trigatra Bangun Bahasa: prioritizing the Indonesian language, preserving regional languages, and mastering foreign languages. Moreover, the role of a Language Ambassador is to ensure that the Indonesian language, as the official language, is preserved.

"Becoming the Favorite Language Ambassador is certainly not easy; it involves a long and very challenging process. Especially for me, who isn't strong in English—I can speak it but not fluently. However, the role of a Language Ambassador isn’t solely about foreign languages; it focuses on Indonesian. It's about how we use proper and correct Indonesian according to the rules. Additionally, we need to adapt to the environment, but adapting doesn't mean abandoning the boundaries we've established," Firda shared.

During the competition, Firda advanced through the elimination stages and made it to the top 20 finalists of the West Sumatra Language Ambassadors, officially earning the title. Each finalist then carried out work programs based on their initial proposals. Firda's program, titled "Rempah Kata" ("Spice of Words"), emphasized the fundamentals of language.

"The term 'rempah' here does not refer to its literal meaning but conveys that before understanding a word or language, one must first learn the basics and rules to truly grasp its essence," Firda explained.

After being chosen as the Favorite Language Ambassador of West Sumatra, Firda did not stop there. She plans to continue promoting linguistic and literary awareness to the public.

"The primary duty is to socialize linguistic and literary values to all layers of society, without exception. This can start with content shared on social media," she added.

In closing, Firda offered motivation and practical advice: "The most important thing is to believe in yourself and practice a lot. Don’t worry about looking left or right. If you have a goal, just follow the path; don’t focus too much on the result. Everything you achieve is part of your journey. Whatever the process, enjoy it. You can be anything you want if you’re willing to follow a path that aligns with your abilities," she emphasized. (FDI Journalism Team: Nur Fadilah Lubis, Editor: Lisda Vebi Angelina).