He started working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, initially as a secretary of the Commission for the Border Delimitation headed by Ali Pasha Kolonja.

In June 1924, he took part in the uprising of Vlora as a member of the "Bashkimi" (Unity) Organization of the recently assassinated Avni Rustemi.

[4] In January 1933, Zavalani returned to Albania, where he was active in the translation of literary works, mostly from Russian and French literature, and as a publicist.

[2] After the Italian invasion of 1939, he was interned in northern Italy, from where he escaped with his wife, who was a former lady-in-waiting to former Queen Geraldine, reaching former King Zog's party and settling to England in 1940.

With his friend Costa Chekrezi,[9][10] and his BBC colleagues Dervish Duma and Anton Logoreci, he appealed to the British authorities and to King Zog for monetary support for establishing a "Free Albanian" committee which would serve like a government in exile.

[11] Ahmet Zogu replied that "his position as the Head of State of Albania and could not be affected by the attitude of few lads in London".

He was a member of PEN Club and published in its press organ Arena,[13] and Chairman of ACEN branch of London.