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Kubi Founder Arif Arslaner Dies at 63

The widely honored educator built Kubi into a key integration group in Frankfurt.

Overview

  • Arslaner, who died Monday after a serious illness, was 63 according to local reports.
  • He founded the Frankfurt nonprofit Kubi in 1993 after migrating from Turkey as a teenager, with a mission to open school, training, and job paths for all youth.
  • Under his leadership Kubi grew to about 200 employees from 16 countries, launched programs such as school-based youth support, Praxis und Schule for vocational paths, and Hand in Hand gegen Extremismus, and added a subsidiary called Bildung und Kultur (biku).
  • Frankfurt’s mayor, Mike Josef, issued a city statement mourning him as a shaping force in the city and a close friend.
  • Leadership passed in 2025 to Fatma Kinali and Yildiz Yanboludan, which points to continuity for students and families who rely on Kubi.