A new initiative aimed at stamping out racism in loyalist areas was launched today.
The poster and leaflet campaign is the brainchild of the Loyalist Commission, an umbrella group made up of paramilitaries, politicians, community and church leaders.
With attacks on ethnic minorities on the increase, the Commission has decided to challenge racial prejudice in its own community.
The largest loyalist paramilitary organisation, the Ulster Defence Association has been linked in the past with neo-Nazi groups such as Combat 18.
Last year, members of the Ulster Volunteer Force were accused of being behind a campaign of intimidation to prevent the building of a Chinese Community Centre in south Belfast.
Mervyn Gibson, chairman of the Loyalist Commission said racism was a deep-rooted problem across the whole of the community.
"Racism, despite the media portrayal, is not simply a loyalist problem. The sad fact is that racism exists across the community divide and among all social groups."
"We are taking responsibility for tackling the problem within the loyalist community and hope others will follow our lead and begin to own the problem within their constituency," he added.
The campaign launch will see the distribution of thousands of leaflets throughout loyalist communities. Posters will also be on display in community centres and pubs throughout Northern Ireland.
David Ervine of the Progressive Unionist Party, which has links with the UVF and Tommy Kirkham of the Ulster Political Research Group, aligned to the UDA, both endorsed the campaign.
In a joint statement, they said: "No section of our society can afford to be complacent about racism and the leaflet has a strong message that speaks to the loyalist community about who they are and why racism has no part in their tradition, heritage or faith."
PA