Banksy artwork noting Syrian anniversary to go global

LONDON, March 12 (UPI) -- British graffiti artist Banksy released a new artwork, to be projected Thursday on landmarks worldwide, marking the third anniversary of the conflict in Syria.

The image depicting a girl and a heart-shaped balloon, a re-working of a famous Banksy artwork, will be seen on the Eiffel Tower in Paris and Nelson's Column in London, among other landmarks, the London evening Standard reported Wednesday.

In a statement on his website Tuesday, Banksy noted the first protests against the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad occurred in March 2011 after 15 children were detained for writing pro-democracy graffiti on a wall in Syria.

The protests, Banksy wrote, "led to an outbreak of violence across the country" which displaced 9.3 million people.

A global recreation of the artwork, with balloons released simultaneously in public squares around the world, is scheduled Thursday, the Bristol (England) Post said.