The Church of Ireland Primate, Dr Robin Eames, has called on the North's business to take the lead in restoring confidence to the Protestant community.
Addressing the Belfast Rotary Club yesterday, the Archbishop of Armagh said the alienation and downheartedness felt by many Protestants needed to be reversed, albeit not at the expense of Catholics.
"We cannot allow the addressing of the alienation of one section of this community to be replaced by the alienation of another. The business community has a vital role to play in this process. But we must all get a new confidence in ourselves.
"Confidence is the key. Confidence can remove fear. It can overcome inequality and injustice. If we can gain a new confidence in ourselves we can gain a new confidence in each other," he added.
Dr Eames said while "the ugly face of sectarianism" still often prevailed in media coverage of Northern Ireland this should not take away from the successes achieved by local businesses and industry.
"Look at the appearance of Belfast and compare it with only a few years ago. The atmosphere has changed beyond belief. We have learned the hardest lesson of all. The world does not owe Northern Ireland a living," he said.