It may sound like the opening scene of a surreal science-fiction film, but to discover what these three things have in common, we need to look no further than Brussels. At the European Union’s REGIOSTARS 2026 awards ceremony, these three remarkable projects came together to challenge the familiar stereotype that EU cohesion policy is all about endless roadworks and ribbon-cutting ceremonies. Held annually since 2008, the competition attracted a record 274 entries this year. From