EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 01-2025
DINÉ BIZAAD: OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE NAVAJO NATION
WHEREAS:
The President of the Navajo Nation serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Executive Branch of the Navajo Nation government with full authority to conduct, supervise, and coordinate personnel and program maAers. 2 N.N.C. §1005(A);
The President of the Navajo Nation holds the fiduciary responsibility for the proper and efficient operation of all Executive Branch offices;
The President shall have the enumerated power of issuing an executive order for the purpose of interpreting, implementing or giving administrative effect to statutes of the Navajo Nation in the manner set forth in such statutes. 2 N.N.C. §1005(C)(14);
On December 24, 2024, President Nygren signed into law Resolution CD-52-24: Relating to the Law and Order Committee, the Naabik’íyáti’ Committees and the Navajo Nation Council; Amending Title 1 of the Navajo Nation Code, Adding Chapter 4: Official Language of the Navajo Nation;
An executive order shall have the force of law upon the recipient 2 N.N.C. §1005(C)(14).
THEREFORE:
I, DR. BUU NYGREN, PRESIDENT OF THE NAVAJO NATION, by the authority vested in me hereby order that Navajo Nation Executive Divisions, Departments, Commissions, Offices and Programs shall implement the Diné Bizaad as the official language of the Navajo Nation by taking the following actions:
All written documents shall include at least one word or phrase in Diné Bizaad.
All Executive Branch direct service provider Programs shall immediately begin investigating opportunities for non- Diné Bizaad speaking Navajo Nation staff to learn Diné Bizaad.
No later than May 30,2025, Division Directors and Executive Directors shall submit a written report of opportunities for non- Diné Bizaad speaking Navajo Nation staff to learn Diné Bizaad to the Director of Office and Management and Budget. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)will collect all reports and include the status of the reports in OMB’s FY25 Quarter 3 Report.
The Department of Information Technology shall work with the Department of Diné Education shall issue a Diné Bizaad word of the day by email on each working day of the Navajo. The Director of the Department of Information Technology shall start issuing the Diné Bizaad word of the Day on February 2,2025.
The Executive Director of the Division of General Services and the Executive Director of the Department of Transportation will together identify a team of individuals who will assess how to ensure that all Navaio Nation Government signs are written in both Diné Bizaad and English and how to have all street signs written in Diné Bizaad and English. This team of individuals will be reported to the President and Chief of Staff no later than March 4, 2025.
EXECUTED THIS 14TH DAY OF JANUARY 2025.
Dr. Buu Nygren, President
THE NAVAJO NATION
