Cross-country flights were not available when my great grandmother was born, 100 years ago — yet today, tourists with enough cash can launch themselves into sub-orbit. For those of us who are less rich and/or ambitious, cross-continental flights are available at all hours, at relatively reasonable, competitive prices. There is hardly any place on the globe that is more than a day away by flight, and even for those who do not travel, there’s virtually no place more than a click away.
We live in an age of globalization, and therefore the modern definition of ‘neighbor’ has effectively evolved to include anyone and everyone. To maintain neighborly relations, it is essential to recognize that our actions do have an impact on our neighbors (and vice versa). For the sake of brevity, I propose four platforms, which require constant attention in order to be neighborly on a global scale:
Physical/Environmental: The global impact of industry-related accidents such as the Exxon
Valdez oil spill and the more recent BP crisis is enormous.
These two disasters alone caused ecological, environmental, and financial problems that continue to spill across borders. It is indeed a small, shared world, and the international response to such catastrophes makes it clear that we must consider the ‘bigger picture’ when it comes to anything attached to an environmental risk. It is pretty basic, water and air circulate around the globe, so maintaining friendly relations with neighbors both close and far means taking care of our shared environment. On a positive note, President Obama called for a reduction in government subsidies to big oil companies, and emphasized his commitment to innovation in the form of clean energy in his recent State of the Union Address.
Governmental: There is no denying that government interactions and regulations play an enormous role in international relations. Our environmental policies (as mentioned above), trade policies, treatment of immigrants, and our manner of policing “situations” with neighbors that we do not see eye-to-eye with (e.g. North Korea) are key factors in the game of maintaining friendly relations and avoiding backlashes like 9-11.
E-diplomacy: Yet, it is not simply the job of the suits and ties to make friends with our global neighbors. At a 2010 Hub Forum in Paris, Hillary Clinton’s Senior Advisor for Innovation, Alec Ross, explained e-diplomacy as:
“E diplomacy for me does two things. Number one: it’s figuring out what tools are available today that weren’t available as recently as ten years ago so that we can create diplomatic and development outcomes that otherwise weren’t possible. And the second thing is figuring out how we can change diplomacy from something that historically has just been government-to-government, to also being able to connect government to people, people-to-people, and people-to-government. So taking diplomacy away just for people in suits and ties talking to other people in suits and ties and being able to get more people involved in the dialogue. That, to me, is the essence of e-diplomacy.”
While freedom of information flows through the ether like never before, the Internet has indeed made international diplomacy an issue for anyone and everyone interested in foreign relations. However, sharing information and ideas does not come without risk. Consider the social and security issues raised by Wikileaks, or even the controversial Danish cartoon of Mohammed that was highly offensive to Muslims. I am not suggesting censorship, of course, but a heightened awareness of the potential 
consequences of content posted online could certainly improve international relations. And as Mr. Ross emphasized, e-diplomacy is not merely the acts of governments or citizens, but rather a balance of both powers, whereby each ought to keep the other in check.
Social/NGOs: Meeting and learning about (and from) our neighbors in person is perhaps the best way to foster friendly relations. To date, only about 37 percent of Americans own a passport, which means that the vast majority do not gain international insight personally, and therefore must rely on information solely from the media (which may be biased), in order to form an opinion of our international neighbors. That said, the number of passports issued annually is ever increasing, and there are organizations such as the Rotary Club, and many other companies that facilitate and fund international exchanges for both students and professionals alike.
In sum, being neighborly in the 21st Century involves a significant effort from individuals, governments, and NGOs on a multitude of platforms — including both the physical and virtual worlds. It means being aware of how people and environments are inter-connected, and acting according to the greater good.
Sources:
http://www.hubforum.org
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/02/world/main1272489.shtml