George Abungu

George Okello Abungu
Citizenship	Kenya
Occupation	Archaeologist
Honours	The Orders of Arts and Letters

George Okello Abungu is a Kenyan archeologist, and former Director-General of the National Museums of Kenya. ^{[1] [2]} He is conferred the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters for his contribution to Heritage locally and globally, a recipient of Lifetime Achievement in Defense of Art by Association for Research into Crimes against Art. ^[3]

Career

Abungu served as Kenya’s representative to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, vice-president of its Bureau from 2004 to 2008. ^[4] He serves as the Chairman of the International Standing Committee on the Traffic of Illicit Antiquities, whose responsibilities include the return of stolen artefacts to Kenya and prevention of the illegal trade of antiquities. ^[5]

Membership/fellowship

Abungu is a visiting lecturer at Gothenburg University, University of the Western Cape, and University of Florida. A guest lecturer at both Getty Conservation and Getty Research Institutes. ^[6] Others include:

• Member of the International Jury of the UNESCO Melina Mecouri International Prize for Safeguard and Management of Cultural Landscapes
• Fellow of the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies, South Africa
• Founding Professor of Heritage Studies, University of Mauritius ^[7]
• Vice President of International Council of Museums ^[8]

Awards/honours

• Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters
• Lifetime Achievement in Defense of Art by Association for Research into Crimes against Art

Publications

• National Museums in Africa: reflection on memory, identity and the politics of heritage (w/Silverman et al, 2022)
• The Heritage of the Colonized: Managing Heritage in Africa (w/Webber Ndoro, 2023) ^[9]
• Museums: geopolitics, decolonisation, globalisation and migration

References

1. "George Abungu". Humboldt Forum. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
2. "Documenting and preserving African heritage sites". UCT News. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
3. International, Advanced Solutions. "Programme". EAA Home. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
4. "George Abungu". Fórum Permanente (in Portuguese). 29 January 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
5. Africa, Open Restitution (12 September 2022). "African Voices in Restitution". Open Restitution Africa. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
6. "Africa's World Treasures: Managing a Continent's Heritage in the Face of Opportunities and Challenges". Archaeology Center. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
7. "Changing Approaches Towards Restitution and Return of Colonial Heritage: Tracing Experiences and Identifying Shared Decolonial Practices". Leiden University. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
8. "The newly elected Executive Council of ICOM » ICOM". ICOM. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
9. "Keynote Information". Fourwaves (in French). Retrieved 21 July 2025.