North Carolina has set this day aside in the Dega people’s name. Governor Josh Stein has proclaimed 20 September 2026 — the day this organization keeps as Dega Day — Montagnard Dega People’s Day across the state.
The proclamation was signed at the Capitol in Raleigh on 8 September 2026 and issued under the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina. In five short clauses it sets down what the Dega people gave, where they came from, and what they have built here since the 1980s — and then commends the observance of the day to the whole state.
Around 40,000 Montagnard Dega Indigenous tribespeople from the Central Highlands of Vietnam courageously contributed to and aided the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War, and in recognition of their alliance and sacrifice, the United States assisted many Montagnard families in resettling in North Carolina.
What it recognizes
Each clause carries a piece of the record.
- 40,000 Montagnard Dega tribespeople from the Central Highlands aided United States forces during the war.
- Largest outside Asia Thousands resettled here afterwards, making North Carolina home to the largest population of Montagnards outside Asia.
- Since the 1980s Business owners, active-duty and veteran service members, community leaders, educators and cultural stewards.
The proclamation also records that the Montagnard community “continues to preserve its rich cultural heritage while strengthening communities across North Carolina through service, resilience, and leadership.” The clause before the proclamation itself is the one that will be read most closely in Dega homes:
The State of North Carolina joins in honoring and commemorating the thousands of Montagnard Vietnam War veterans who have lived and passed on North Carolina soil after serving alongside the United States Armed Forces.
Why today
20 September is Dega Day. It is the day we keep every year, wherever Dega families have settled, for the people of the Central Highlands — those who fought, those who fled, and those who never left. This year the seal of the State of North Carolina sits on the same date.
It is a recognition, not a remedy. The work our families carry on — for relatives still in the highlands, for refugees still waiting, for a heritage kept alive in a language far from home — is unchanged by a signature in Raleigh. But it matters that the record now says plainly, in the state’s own hand, who the Dega people are and what they gave.
The certificate is here
We have posted the signed proclamation on this site so that any Dega family, school or veterans’ group can download and print it.
Download the proclamation (PDF, 1.5 MB)
