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Emma Watson ‘touched’ by reception in Uruguay

Uruguay's Vice President Danilo Astori, left, and Director of UN Women Gulden Turkoz, right, applaud after a speech by Emma Watson, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, at Parliament in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014. Watson attended the event organized by women's groups pushing the country's lawmaking body to increase their numbers of elected female senators and deputies. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) Uruguay's Vice President Danilo Astori, left, and Director of UN Women Gulden Turkoz, right, applaud after a speech by Emma Watson, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, at Parliament in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014. Watson attended the event organized by women's groups pushing the country's lawmaking body to increase their numbers of elected female senators and deputies. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)

By Associated Press September 17, 2014 1 min read

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) – British actor Emma Watson says she is “immensely touched” by the reception she received in Uruguay, where she traveled as a goodwill ambassador for the UN’s women’s agency.

Hundreds of young people greeted the 24-year-old Tuesday as she delivered a 4,000-signature petition to parliament calling for greater political participation by women.

Some lawmakers brought their children or grandchildren to meet Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the “Harry Potter” films.

Thirteen percent of Uruguayan parliamentarians are women, and the country has never had a female president.