Rawanee - Let Creativity Flow
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Rawanee is a cultural home for literature, performance, and community
Rawanee - what we're all about
a cultural home of multi disciplinary creative arts - including performance and literary arts
a cultural home of multi disciplinary creative arts - including performance and literary arts
a cultural home of multi disciplinary creative arts - including performance and literary arts
Across Pakistan, Britain and the diaspora. Rooted in South Asian and Global Majority voices, we champion multilingual work and create spaces to read, hear and experience literature through print, performance and multimedia—and to build a cultural life around it. Our work is rooted and progressive, balancing the preservation of literary and cultural traditions with experimentation, innovation and new forms of creative expression.
Our Focus: Creative Authenticity & Excellence
a cultural home of multi disciplinary creative arts - including performance and literary arts
a cultural home of multi disciplinary creative arts - including performance and literary arts
Rawanee has been working to promote community creativity of thought and expression since 2020.
We work to:
- Encourage the generation of new creative and literary output, with a focus on creative authenticity and excellence
- Support the preservation of existing creative and literary artefacts
This includes podcasts, events, publications - most of our community work is voluntary or subsidised
Our Values
a cultural home of multi disciplinary creative arts - including performance and literary arts
Our Values
FOR THE GLOBAL MAJORITY
Rawanee started off as a Pakistani diaspora collective and whilst we remain rooted, this is now a global majority space for anyone who shares our values and approach.
Everyone is welcome - and we encourage less represented communities to share their work too.
MULTILINGUAL
We currently work mainly with Urdu and English, but are always open to expanding our scope of work.
Since 2024 we have given space to Turkish, Arabic, Persian and regional South Asian languages in our initiatives, and welcome more.
Team Rawanee
Muniba Mahmud
Laiba Karim Khan
MUNIBA MAHMUD
Co-Founder and Director - Rawanee
Muniba created Rawanee out of a deep, persistent yearning for a space where versatile, authentic creativity could flourish—free from the dictates of commercialism, rigid checklists, and cultural stereotypes.
She oversees Rawanee’s overall strategy, live events, creative workshops, and multi-format content engine—from published print anthologies to podcasts and performance. Day-to-day, Muniba leads commercial marketing and partnerships globally. Her background spans business (IBA, Karachi), public administration (Columbia University, NY), and creative writing through a flagship novel writing, long duration course (Faber Academy, London).
A compulsive writer of poetry and prose, Muniba continuously explores history, global affairs, and religion, weaving these influences directly into her work and curation. Writes as Moonbeam, responds to Muniba.
A quick heads-up: Small talk positively frightens her, but she loves a good, purposeful conversation. Feel free to reach out via email if you’d like to connect.
Laiba Karim Khan
Laiba Karim Khan
Rawanee Administration & Podcast Manager
Association with Rawanee:
Based in Pakistan, Laiba has been a part of Rawanee's journey since August, 2022, as a member, content editor, youth outreach and administrative manager.
Since 2024, she also manages the podcast and supports the production of events and publications.
Writing, Career and Hobbies:
Laiba is a writer, poet and an undergraduate student of English Literature and Linguistics.
She is currently published in the Blooming Pen anthology with her short fiction, "The Memory of Colors," and Cathartic literary magazine with, "What if....", and has also won 1st prize for poetry in BPWS Online fundraising Contest.
She is often found engaging with a diverse array of literary genres, encompassing short fiction, poetry, longer prose, literary critique, as well as scholarly composition, but her persisting interest lies in short fiction.
Saba Kazmi
Saba Kazmi
Co-Founder
Association with Rawanee:
Co-founder
Saba Kazmi is a seasoned writer and content strategist with over a decade of experience in tech, content, and product. An avid reader with a curious mind, Saba will be found with a cup of coffee, a book, and a notebook some early morning at the beach, connecting thoughts, feelings, and words. She writes about life experiences and lessons, so her reader may find a piece of themselves in her work. Her greatest joy is in stories that give hope and connectedness.